India on Tuesday, 17 May, retaliated to a resolution on the Pakistan National Assembly on a resolution on delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that it had no standing to interfere in the country's internal matters, and should first put its house in order.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said:
"We categorically reject the farcical resolution passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on the subject of the delimitation exercise in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has no locus standi to pronounce on or interfere in matters that are internal to India, including the Indian territories under Pakistan’s illegal and forcible occupation."
Emphasising that the Union territories of Ladakh and J&K are an integral party of India, the ministry said, "The delimitation exercise in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is a democratic exercise based on the principles of extensive stakeholder consultation and participation."
On 12 May, the National Assembly of Pakistan had passed a resolution 'rejecting' the Delimitation Commission’s report released earlier this month, saying that the Indian government aims to convert the Muslim majority of the region into a minority.
"It is regrettable that instead of putting their own house in order, the leadership in Pakistan continues to interfere in India’s internal affairs and engage in baseless and provocative anti-India propaganda," the central government stated, taking a jibe against the recent political coup in the neighbouring country where Imran Khan was ousted as prime minister and Shehbaz Sharif was instated in his place.
The Indian foreign ministry further said that Pakistan must immediately cease anti-India cross-border terrorism and vacate the Indian territories that are under its illegal and forcible occupation.
Earlier this month, the delimitation commission signed off the final report on the basis of which the new electoral jurisdictions will come into force in J&K.
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