India on Tuesday strongly criticised the recently conducted local elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), describing the exercise as a “complete farce” and accusing Pakistan of using the polls to mask widespread repression and violence in the region.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the international community must hold Islamabad accountable for alleged human rights violations, claiming that at least 90 civilians have been killed in the continuing crackdown since June.
Addressing the bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the electoral exercise could not conceal the realities on the ground.“This so-called local election in PoK is a complete farce. The real happening is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality,” he said.
Jaiswal said that Pakistani security forces had responded to public discontent with “bullets, blackouts, intimidation and repression” while attempting to manufacture legitimacy through the electoral process.
“Since June this year, at least 90 civilians have lost their lives in the continuing crackdown. The Pakistani establishment has answered public discontent with bullets, blackouts, intimidation and repression, and now seeks to manufacture legitimacy through a hollow electoral exercise. It must be held accountable, and the world should see through Pakistan’s hypocritical lecturing on human rights,” he said.
Responding to another question regarding the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, the MEA spokesperson reiterated that attention should instead focus on developments in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.Jaiswal also renewed India’s call for Pakistan to dismantle terrorist infrastructure operating from its territory and take decisive action against cross-border terrorism.
“We continue to call upon countries to take strong action against cross-border terrorism and those promoting it. We call upon Pakistan to take strong action against cross-border terrorism and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure operating from its soil,” he said, adding that India’s position against terrorism remained unchanged following Operation Sindoor.
The remarks came amid reports of widespread unrest during the elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where protests, allegations of electoral irregularities and clashes reportedly disrupted polling. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have expressed concern over reports of excessive force against protesters, restrictions on media, internet shutdowns and the alleged targeting of journalists.
The MEA also dismissed recent remarks by Pakistan’s military spokesperson criticising growing India-Afghanistan relations, saying the comments reflected Islamabad’s “insecurity and frustration.”“Such statements and comments reflect the Pakistani state’s insecurity and frustration over the positive trajectory of India-Afghanistan ties,” Jaiswal said, noting that India would continue its development partnership with Afghanistan.
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