UK condemns Pakistan’s move to declare Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth province and says it belongs to India

The British Parliament has passed a motion condemning Pakistan’s move to declare Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth frontier, saying the region is a legal and constitutional part of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947.

The motion was tabled on March 23 and sponsored by Conservative Party leader Bob Blackman.

It stated that Pakistan by making such an announcement is implying its attempt to annex the already disputed area.

“Gilgit-Baltistan is a legal and constitutional part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India, which is illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947, and where people are denied their fundamental rights including the right of freedom of expression,” the motion read.

It was further noted that the attempts to change the demography of the region was in violation of State Subject Ordinance and the `forced and illegal construction` of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) further aggravated and interfered with the disputed territory.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry has said that Beijing was ready to work with Islamabad to take forward the CPEC to benefit the people of both countries.

The CPEC is a USD 51.5 billion project that aims to connect Kashgar, in China`s western province of Xinjiang, with the port of Gwadar in the Pakistani province of Balochistan.

Baloch political and human rights activists have demanded a special rapporteur in the United Nations to probe gross human rights violations in Balochistan province.

With Pakistan planning to declare Gilgit-Baltistan region as its fifth province, the Baloch leaders have warned Islamabad of serious repercussions stating that this development will only lead to massive resistance by the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Gilgit-Baltistan area is Pakistan`s northernmost administrative territory that borders the disputed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

A committee headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif`s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz recommended granting the region a provincial status, reports the GeoNews.

Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh are four provinces of Pakistan.

India has said that any efforts to change the status of Gilgit-Baltistan region will not be acceptable.

Reiterating India’s stand on the Jammu and Kashmir, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay had said: “The position of the government on Jammu and Kashmir is consistent and well known. The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India in 1947.”

“It has been, is and will always be an integral part of India. A part of Jammu and Kashmir has been under illegal occupation of Pakistan.”

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