Published 16:40 IST, November 2nd 2020
Rajnath Singh lashes out at Pak's 'Gilgit-Baltistan' move; affirms "PoK part of India"
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, slammed Pakistan government's move to make Gilgit-Baltistan a 'provisional province' of Pakistan ahead of Nov polls
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Maintaining that Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK)'s Gilgit-Baltistan's was an 'integral part of India', Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, slammed Pakistan government's move to make it a 'provisional province' of Pakistan. Terming PoK an 'illegal occupation' by Pakistan, Singh stated that y (BJP) were against partition of undivided India, but it was done. Touting Centre's Citizenship amendment act (CAA), he said persecuted mirities from Pakistan were being granted citizenship in India.
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Rajnath Singh: 'PoK integral part of India'
Pakistan gives 'provisional provincial status' to PoK
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday anunced granting of provisional-provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan, as per Pakistan's Geo News. “One of reasons for me coming to Gilgit-Baltistan is to anunce that we have decided to grant Gilgit-Baltistan provisional provincial status,” Khan said at his visit to Gilgit-Baltistan. re have been massive protests against this move in Gilgit-Baltistan by bodies like - Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and Student Liberation Front, accusing Pakistan of exploiting region of its resources, state reports. 11 Opposition parties which form coalition 'Pakistan Democratic movement' too have opposed this move, but most parties will contest for Gilgit-Baltistan polls.
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Pakistan to hold elections in Gilgit-Baltistan
In September, Pakistan President Arif Alvi approved elections to be conducted for Legislative Assembly of PoK's Gilgit Baltistan on vember 15. Government representatives and opposition leers such as PML(N)'s Shehbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and PPP's Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sherry Rehman participated in discussions with military high command, including Pakistani Army chief General Qamar Bajwa and ISI DG Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed at Pakistan Army Hequarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Pakistan government has signed a Rs 442-billion contract with a joint venture formed by China Power and Pakistan Army for construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam in Gilgit-Baltistan.
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As per local media reports, re was also a consensus in meeting on making GB a full province of Pakistan with all constitutional rights. However, this latest move orchestrated by Pakistan's military establishment came in for criticism from key opposition leer Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Speaking to media in Islamab, PML(N) vice president maintained that GB was a political issue that should be handled by elected representatives. Similarly, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman - Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his party will only interact with Gilgit-Baltistan's Election Commission in upcoming elections in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) territory, opining that interference of federal government - namely Speaker and Federal ministers was condemnable.
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16:40 IST, November 2nd 2020