Islamabad, June 5, 2026: Pakistan has rejected India’s recent remarks regarding the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, describing the statements as “baseless” and reiterating its longstanding position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, Pakistan said India’s comments on the June 7 elections in Gilgit-Baltistan were part of what it described as an attempt to promote “false narratives” regarding the region.
The Foreign Office stated that Pakistan “categorically rejects” India’s assertions and maintained that the elections are being conducted in Gilgit-Baltistan as part of the region’s political process.
The statement also reiterated Pakistan’s position that Jammu and Kashmir remains a disputed territory and called for a resolution of the issue in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Pakistan argued that the dispute should be settled through a plebiscite under UN auspices, allowing the people of Kashmir to exercise their right to self-determination.
Responding to India’s claims concerning Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan said the remarks could not divert attention from what it alleged were human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The Foreign Office criticized Indian policies in the region and called for greater international scrutiny of the situation.
Pakistan further urged India to reverse measures introduced in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019, allow access to international observers and humanitarian organizations, and facilitate conditions for the implementation of UN-backed resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.
The statement comes amid renewed exchanges between Islamabad and New Delhi over the status of Gilgit-Baltistan and Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections scheduled for June 7.
