World

Entire Kashmir belongs to India: Vikas Swarup

India raises concerns over Pakistan's attempt to convert Gilgit-Baltistan into a separate province

News Desk January 15, 2016

PHOTO: AFP

In a strong reaction to reports of Pakistan converting Gilgit-Baltistan to a fifth province, India claimed on Thursday said the entire Kashmir is an integral part of India.

"We have seen recent media reports stating that various options are under consideration in Pakistan regarding the political status of Gilgit-Baltistan. India's position is crystal clear on this. The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir which includes areas currently under Pakistan's occupation is an integral part of Union of India," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, according to NDTV.

Gilgit-Baltistan — part of Pakistan by choice

Pakistan is mulling upgrading the constitutional status of its northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, which is also claimed by India, in a bid to provide legal cover to a multi-billion-dollar Chinese investment plan, officials said last week.

The move could signal a historic shift in Pakistan’s position on the future of the wider Kashmir region, observers have said, dealing another potential blow to fragile peace talk efforts that received a boost after India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lahore in December.

Swarup said that India's concerns are regarding “exploitation of resources”, while adding that the implementation of economic projects in AJK are well known and have been shared with all countries and organisations concerned.

Foreign secretaries meeting: Islamabad, New Delhi reschedule talks

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson in June, last year rejected India’s statement claiming the entire Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit and Baltistan, are an integral part of India, saying the country is unlawfully occupying territories in the region.

“Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute, pending final settlement through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices, as enshrined in numerous UN Resolutions,” Khalilullah said.

“Under these resolutions no material change is allowed, yet India, in complete violation of these resolutions, calls it a state of the union,” he added.

Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of partition: Army chief

Addressing India slamming Gilgit-Baltistan polls held on June 8, the Foreign Office spokesperson termed it an “interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan.”

India said the G-B elections were “an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its forcible and illegal occupation of the regions.”

However, Khalilullah responded, “It is actually India which is unlawfully occupying the territories of Jammu and Kashmir.”

This article originally appeared on NDTV.

COMMENTS (13)

Rabbani | 8 years ago | Reply @G. Din And yet when Hyderabad's Nizam chose to stay independent, as sovereign as he was, India mounted an all-out invasion. Just because India surrounded the Hyderabad state does not justify an invasion, or does it ? The argument of "sovereigns" making the decisions is all hogwash. India has used force for annexation whenever it knows it outnumbers the "sovereign" nations. Besides, didn't the UK just give Scottish people the right to determine whether they want to be part of the unitary state ? You know why ? Because the sentiment of secession is prevalent which has strong political roots and mass support. Irrespective of what happened in the referendum, a free and fair referendum was carried. out since it is the right of the people to determine their future. So your argument about people having no say in the matter is ridiculously wrong at best. A classic case of conveniently avoiding the facts that do not help your propaganda.

G. Din | 8 years ago | Reply @Kashmiri: "Why don’t kashmiris have any say in this?" For exactly the same reasons that people of territories purchased by US from France under "Louisiana Purchase" had no say in the matter. And the same goes for Alaska, Hawaii, California and every such case where sovereignty changed hands all through history. Nearer home, no one asked Indians when Mughals took over. Repeat after me: "Sovereignty changes hands only between sovereigns, period." In your case, sovereigns involved were Maharaja Hari Singh and the Government of India. Even Pakistan was not allowed to strong-arm its way into the arrangement.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Kashmiri | 8 years ago | Reply Why do people from South India, Andra pradesh, Gujarat who are.basically foreigners to us, want to decide the fate of Pakistanis or Kashmiris? Why don't kashmiris have any say in this?

Rabbani | 8 years ago | Reply India illegally annexed Hyderabad despite the Nizam of Hyderabad choosing to stay independent. India also illegally kicked out Portugese Goans who had been living in Goa for centuries. India then goes to Kashmir and occupies a major chunk of it under the pretext that the Maharaja of Kashmir chose to join India, conveniently ignoring the fact that the Nizam of Hyderabad wanted to stay independent. Pakistan sent its tribals into Kashmir because Jinnah was savy enough to know that India will always be an annexation hungry country. There was a reason why Vahabhai Patel refused to meet Jinnah in Lahore when, after independence, Mount Batten came to Lahore just to discuss Kashmir. The reason being that India , its leaders, and its citizens have always thought that they have the divine right to rule the lands which were once part of Ashoka's empire. Even Arunachal Pradesh is disputed; China has historically controlled that region. India continues to think that it is surrounded by aggressive neighbors but the reality is that India itself is most insecure about its identity. Pakistan can hold a plebiscite in any part of Pakistan and each one of the places would choose to stay with Pakistan. India, with its decades of repression in Kashmir and lack of any footing in the eastern parts of India, is bound to lose a lot of land if it dares to hold a plebiscite. It is a reality which Indians simply can't grasp, and that my friends is the tragedy. India is an annexation hungry country. It always has been and it will continue to be.

sterry | 8 years ago | Reply @ajeet: The key is to ask people there who they are part of . This will settle the issue for Indians. The reality is that people in Gilgit Baltistan are the most patriotic Pakistanis because they fought for their freedom and sign up to join Pakistani forces to fight to free Occupied Kashmir. By all means ask the majority of people if they want to join India! You forget most people in Baluchistan remain pro Pakistani too.

Azi | 8 years ago | Reply If entire Kashmir belongs to India, what's Pakistan and china doing with their parts?maybe its time people like him shutup and do something. Funny thing is that any uprisings only happen in Indian Kashmir.

True | 8 years ago | Reply India occupied Kashmir, plain & simple!

Kai | 8 years ago | Reply @harkol: Not only Pakistan but India has also asked to withdraw from all annexed parts of Kashmir, so inspection can be taken but both countries refused... Kashmir is always termed as Disputed territory by UN and at any level... Clear your facts plz Frst gve autonomy nd happiness to ur own forcibly annexed side, then talk about ours :) ek to smbhala ja nhi rha :) Kashmir , manavadar and Junagadh were illegaly occupied by India... Read history frst :/

Ashish (India) | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistan’s Logic: Kashmir is a Muslim majority that’s why it should be annexed with it, by this logic Bangladesh too became party to this so called dispute, so next time meeting should be held between Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.

Point | 8 years ago | Reply stop yelling Vikas!! we get over Bangladesh, you should get over what is ours now!!

ajeet | 8 years ago | Reply India should declare Baluchistan a province of India.

harkol | 8 years ago | Reply Kashmir may be a dispute, but India has a better legal cover on Kashmir (on account of instrument of accession, that's recognized by the British & UN). Pakistan has zero legal cover as it was only an occupying force, as recognized by UN, and was asked to withdraw, which it not only refused to do, but has forcefully integrated the portions under its control by changing the demographics. The only talks on Kashmir in future, will be how Pakistan will vacate the area is occupies, and then perhaps how it can be made autonomous within India.

Khanum | 8 years ago | Reply He has no India about how people Gilgit Baltistan defeated dogra raaj and got their independence. I wonder he has not a little sense of history. The people of Gilgit Baltistan have annexed with Pakistan on their own will. Pakistan has not occupied that region. Whereas India has been aggressor and occupied Kashmir territory.

Replying to X