Rajnath Singh lashes out at Pak's 'Gilgit-Baltistan' move; affirms "PoK part of India"

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 they (BJP) were against the partition of undivided India, but it was done. Touting the Centre's Citizenship amendment act (CAA), he said persecuted minorities from Pakistan were being granted citizenship in India.

Singhvi lashes at Pakistan for Gilgit-Baltistan's status change: 'We will take it back!'

Rajnath Singh: 'PoK integral part of India'

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Pakistan gives 'provisional provincial status' to PoK

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday announced the granting of provisional-provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan, as per Pakistan's Geo News. “One of the reasons for me coming to Gilgit-Baltistan is to announce that we have decided to grant Gilgit-Baltistan the provisional provincial status,” Khan said at his visit to Gilgit-Baltistan. There 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 the region of its resources, state reports. The 11 Opposition parties which form the coalition 'Pakistan Democratic movement' too have opposed this move, but most parties will contest for Gilgit-Baltistan polls. 

India rejects Pakistan's accord of 'provisional provincial status' to Gilgit-Baltistan

Pakistan to hold elections in Gilgit-Baltistan

In September, Pakistan President Arif Alvi approved elections to be conducted for the Legislative Assembly of PoK's  Gilgit Baltistan on November 15. Government representatives and opposition leaders such as PML(N)'s Shehbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and PPP's Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sherry Rehman participated in discussions with the military high command, including Pakistani Army chief General Qamar Bajwa and ISI DG Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed at the Pakistan Army Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The Pakistan government has signed a Rs 442-billion contract with a joint venture formed by China Power and Pakistan Army for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Bilawal Bhutto condemns Pak govt's interference into upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan elections

As per local media reports, there was also a consensus in the 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 leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the 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 the upcoming elections in the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) territory, opining that the interference of the federal government - namely the Speaker and Federal ministers was condemnable.