Pakistan rakes up map issue in UN, India reacts strongly
India introducing controversial Bill, says Pakistan.
New Delhi: India on Tuesday reacted strongly to Pakistan seeking UN intervention on the Indian draft bill on map, saying it was an “entirely internal legislative matter” and Pakistan or any other party has no locus standi on it.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India “firmly rejects” repeated and increasing attempts by Pakistan to impose on the international community its stand on matters that it has always been open to address bilaterally with India.
“The proposed Bill is an entirely internal legislative matter of India, since the whole of the state of J&K is an integral part of India.” Earlier, in Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office issued a statement saying it has expressed “serious concern” to the UN over a draft bill in the Indian Parliament over the map of Kashmir and has asked the world body to uphold its resolutions and urge India to stop such acts which are in “violation of international law”.
“Pakistan has expressed serious concern to the UN Secretary General, through letters by our Representative in New York, with regard to India’s efforts to introduce a controversial ‘Geospatial Information Regulation Bill’.