India rejects Pak Nat'l Assembly's 'farcical resolution' on delimitation

New Delhi: India on Tuesday described as "farcical" a resolution passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the neighbouring country has no locus standi to interfere in internal matters of India.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi categorically rejected the resolution and asked Islamabad to stop cross-border terrorism and shut down its "infrastructure of terrorism".

"We categorically reject the farcical resolution passed by the Nat'l Assembly of Pakistan on the subject of the delimitation exercise in the Indian Union Territory of J&K" he said.

"Pakistan has no locus standi to pronounce on or interfere in matters that are internal to India, including the Indian territories under Pakistan's illegal and forcible occupation," Bagchi added.

The spokesperson was responding to media queries regarding the resolution passed by the Pakistan Nat'l Assembly.

"It is regrettable that instead of putting their own house in order, the leadership in Pakistan continues to interfere in India's internal affairs and engage in baseless and provocative anti-India propaganda," he said.

Bagchi said the entire territory of the nion territories of J&K and Ladakh "have been, is and shall always remain an integral part of India."

"The delimitation exercise in the Union Territory of J&K is a democratic exercise based on principles of extensive stakeholder consultation and participation," he said.

Bagchi asked Pakistan to refrain from effecting any further material changes in the status of Pakistan occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (PoJKL) and vacate the Indian territories that are under its "illegal and forcible occupation".

"We reiterate that Pakistan must immediately cease anti-India cross-border terrorism and shut down its infrastructure of terrorism; stop the grave and persistent human rights violations in PoJKL; refrain from effecting any further material changes in the status of PoJKL, and vacate Indian territories that are under its illegal and forcible occupation," Bagchi said.

India earlier on Monday slammed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its "unwarranted" comments on the delimitation exercise in J&K and asked it to refrain from carrying out its "communal agenda" at the behest of one country, in an oblique reference to Pakistan.

In a strongly-worded reaction, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India "categorically rejected" the OIC's comments criticising New Delhi over the delimitation exercise in J&K

"We are dismayed that the OIC secretariat has once again made unwarranted comments on the internal affairs of India," Bagchi said.

"As in the past, the Government of India categorically rejects the assertions made by the OIC secretariat on the Union Territory of J&K which is an integral and inalienable part of India."

"The OIC should refrain from carrying out its communal agenda vis-a-vis India at the behest of one country," he said.

In a statement earlier, the general secretariat of the OIC "expresses deep concern over India's attempts to redraw the electoral boundaries" of Jammu and Kashmir.