"No Pakistani Kashmir, only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir": India calls out NYT over "misleading" headline

Taking exception to the headline used in a recent report by the American newspaper, the Indian Embassy in the United States described the terminology as "misleading and incorrect".

In a post on X, the embassy said, "There is no Pakistani Kashmir, only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir".

https://x.com/IndianEmbassyUS/status/2082476880184103013?s=20

Reiterating New Delhi's long-standing position, the diplomatic mission stated that the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and will "always remain an integral and inalienable part of India".

The embassy further accused Islamabad of illegally holding onto parts of these territories, alleging that Pakistan continues "using violence against the occupied people".

The Indian response followed a report published by The New York Times covering recent unrest and local elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The newspaper reported that violence broke out in Mirpur after security forces clashed with members of the Joint Awami Action Committee, a civil rights outfit demonstrating against alleged police excesses.

According to the American daily, at least two individuals died from gunshot injuries in the latest wave of confrontations. The report also highlighted a demand from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan for an impartial inquiry into the fatal incidents.

The New York Times added that weeks of turbulence have resulted in multiple fatalities and impacted the electoral process across the region. It noted claims by the Joint Awami Action Committee that several of its members were killed in police confrontations, while clarifying that such assertions could not be independently verified or officially confirmed.

India has consistently maintained its sovereign jurisdiction over the entire region, underlining that both Union Territories form an inseparable part of the nation. (ANI)