‘Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly’ elections: India lodges strong protest with Pakistan
Here's a territorial integrity point that examiners love. India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over its plan to hold elections on June 7 for the so-called Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including Gilgit-Baltistan, are integral and inalienable parts of India, flowing from the legal accession of J&K in 1947. So basically, India treats any such election as illegal occupation. Bottom line for the exam, remember the Instrument of Accession of 1947, that Gilgit-Baltistan falls within Ladakh's claimed territory, and India's consistent position on Pakistan-occupied areas.
India on Friday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan regarding the latter’s plans to hold “general elections” on June 7, 2026, for the “Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly”, in the Indian territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan,.
The MEA said in a statement: “The Government of India reiterated its well-known position that the entire Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, including the so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’, are integral and inalienable parts of India as a result of complete, legal and irrevocable accession of J&K to India in 1947.”
“The Government of India further emphasised that such endeavours by Pakistan cannot mask the underlying issues of grave human rights violations, political repression, economic exploitation and denial of freedom in territories illegally occupied by Pakistan,” it said. India “categorically rejects any attempts by Pakistan to bring material change to areas under Pakistan’s illegal occupation”, it said.