India on Tuesday said the “so-called” local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is a “complete farce” and such hollow exercises cannot hide the “reality” in the region.
Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), slammed Pakistan’s brutal crackdown on the protesters in PoK and said the world should see through the “flimsy veneer” of Islamabad’s hypocritical lecturing on human rights.
“Regarding the second phase of elections, this so-called local election in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a complete farce. The real situation is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality,” Jaiswal said during the press conference.
“Since June this year, at least 90 civilians have lost their lives in the continuing crackdown, and many more have been injured. The Pakistani establishment has responded to 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 the veneer of Pakistan’s hypocritical lecturing on human rights.” Jaiswal added.
On Times Now’s question on August 5th being observed as ‘Black Day’ over the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, Jaiswal said, “What is happening in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is deeply concerning. As I just told you, 90 people have been killed in the brutality carried out by Pakistani forces, and the international community must hold Pakistan accountable for these atrocities.”
PoK has been witnessing massive protests since last month over inflated living costs, alleged administrative apathy and political discrimination and atrocities against minorities. The protests are being led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
Pakistani security forces used lethal force against the JAAC during its long march from Rawalakote to Muzaffarabad late last month, and the crackdown reportedly resulted in the deaths of 40 civilians and left over 33 protesters injured.
Notably, the JAAC has officially appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Council and international rights organisations for an immediate, independent investigation into what it described as “unlawful killings”.
While responding to a media query regarding a viral video showing Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba members claiming that 30-40 of their commanders had been killed and alleging that Indian agencies were behind the killings, Jaiswal said, “We continue to call upon all countries to take strong action against cross-border terrorism and those who promote it. We also call upon Pakistan to take decisive action against cross-border terrorism and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure operating from its soil.”