India on Tuesday strongly rejected the second phase of local elections held in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the exercise a “complete farce” and accused Pakistan of using the polls to mask widespread repression and human rights violations in the region.
‘Local Elections Are A Complete Farce’: MEA
Addressing a bi-weekly press conference, Jaiswal said the so-called local elections in PoK lacked credibility and could not conceal the ground reality. He said the situation in the region was marked by public protests, describing them as “wanton killings” by Pakistani forces. He added that such “hollow exercises” could not hide the truth.
“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.
Crackdown On Civilians
Jaiswal claimed that since June this year, at least 90 civilians had lost their lives in the continuing crackdown in PoK, while many more had been injured. He alleged that the Pakistani establishment had responded to public discontent with bullets, blackouts, intimidation, and repression instead of addressing the concerns of the people.
“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,” Jaiswal said. He further accused Islamabad of attempting to manufacture legitimacy through a “hollow electoral exercise.”
Jaiswal stressed that Pakistan must be held accountable for its actions, urging the international community to see through its “hypocritical lecturing on human rights.” He added, “It must be held accountable, and the world should see through the veneer of Pakistan’s hypocritical lecturing on human rights.” Responding to comment on Indus Waters Treaty, Jaiswal reiterated that the treaty is in abeyance and will remain so until Pakistan “irrevocably and credibly abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.”