The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that India had “neither the standing nor the moral authority” to comment on the elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which are being held in phases amid security concerns and unrest in the region.

FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the remarks while addressing a weekly press briefing, where he was asked about the Indian External Affairs Ministry’s (MEA) “reaction” to the ongoing polls. While the question did not elaborate further, the Indian ministry had termed the polls a “farce” on Tuesday, saying that such “hollow exercises” could not hide the reality.

“Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless and politically motivated remarks of the Indian MEA regarding the ongoing legislative elections in the AJK,” Andrabi said on Thursday.

“It is unsurprising that India has chosen to issue such remarks on the eve of the 7th anniversary of its illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, through which it seeks to alter the internationally recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, adding that actions violated the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, international law, and India’s international commitments.

Andrabi held that elections in AJK were being conducted in a “peaceful, transparent and orderly manner” in accordance with the constitutional and legal framework governing the region.

He added that the ongoing elections reflected “democratic aspirations and political will of the people of AJK”.

Andrabi maintained that India, in view of its continued denial of fundamental political rights and democratic freedom in occupied Kashmir, “has neither the standing nor the moral authority to comment on the democratic process in AJK”.

He added that misinformation and propaganda could not change the status of occupied Kashmir, which remained a disputed territory.

“Its final disposition is to be determined in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions as well as the freely expressed will of the Kashmiri people and through a UN-administered plebiscite,” he said.

He also held that India’s “attempt to invoke misleading casualty figures” cannot obscure its own actions in occupied Kashmir.

Andrabi said such statements were an attempt to deflect international attention away from India’s “continued violation of international human rights and humanitarian law and its persistent failure to fulfil international obligations”.

At this, he called on the neighbouring India to reverse its illegal actions of August 5, 2019 and “create an environment conducive to peaceful settlement in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions”.

The FO spokesperson was also asked about the Indian ministry’s response to comments made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on the occasion of Youm-i-Istehsal wherein it had condemned Pakistan’s “desperate peddling of falsehoods”.

He held that the Indian MEA statement was a “self-serving eulogy” for its actions in the occupied Kashmir.

“The reality is that a prolonged and heavy military presence, coupled with draconian laws, continues to facilitate demographic change aimed at altering the territory’s Muslim majority character.”

The FO spokesperson also took note of India’s “systemic efforts” suppressing the voices of Kashmiri people and that its “so-called development” in the occupied territory was not a substitute for the rights of the Kashmiri people.

“We remain unwavering in our support for the just [..] and call upon India to reverse its illegal and unilateral measures and its human rights violations and engage in the peaceful resolution of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Pakistan continues engagement on US-Iran

Speaking about Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to mediate between the US and Iran, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan remained engaged to resolve the crisis, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz.

He vowed that Pakistan would continue to “actively pursue diplomatic engagements and support all sincere efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the conflict”.

Andrabi also hoped that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz would lead to the resumption of talks between the US and Iran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), AFP reported.

“We hope that the agreement on the Strait will pave the way for continuing dialogue, particularly the resumption of technical-level talks between Iran and the US,” the foreign ministry spokesman told reporters.

Andrabi also lauded Oman for its “valuable and steadfast” efforts towards de-escalation, particularly as a littoral state to the State of Hormuz.