Pakistan has no locus standi to pronounce on or interfere in India's internal matters, the Foreign Ministry said today in sharp remarks to a resolution passed in Pakistan on the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir. "The entire territory of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has been, is and shall always remain an integral part of India," the government said, calling the resolution passed by Pakistan National Assembly "farcical".
"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," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
Mr Bagchi said the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir is a democratic exercise based on the principles of extensive stakeholder consultation and participation.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Pakistan should work on "putting their own house in order" rather than interfering in India's internal affairs and engaging in baseless and provocative anti-India propaganda.
"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 Foreign Ministry added.
This statement was issued in response to media queries regarding the resolution passed by the Pakistan National Assembly last week.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who moved the resolution, had alleged India's move is aimed at artificially altering the electoral strength of Jammu and Kashmir, news agency PTI reported.
Earlier, the Foreign Ministry had asked the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to refrain from "unwarranted" comments on Jammu and Kashmir.
"The OIC should refrain from carrying out its communal agenda vis-a-vis India at the behest of one country," the Ministry spokesperson said in an oblique reference to Pakistan.
The delimitation commission, tasked with redrawing parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, notified its final report earlier this month.
The completion of the delimitation exercise paves the way for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The former state is without an elected government since June 2018.
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