India slammed Pakistan for the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) polls, saying the “cosmetic electoral exercise” was just an attempt to camouflage the illegal occupation of Indian territory.Ministry of external affairs (MEA) reiterated India’s “consistent, clear and well known” position that the entire Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas currently under Pakistan’s illegal and forcible occupation, are integral and inalienable parts of India.“We have seen reports regarding the so-called legislative assembly elections being conducted in POK…the current cosmetic electoral exercise is nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation and hide its grave human rights violations in the region,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.Asked about Pakistan’s efforts to reclaim the Indus Valley Civilisation legacy, the official again cited Pakistan’s backing of terrorism, saying a country which has been promoting cross-border terrorism, religious fundamentalism and violence for decades, cannot have any claim to any pluralistic cultural legacy.
