Pakistan claims all of Kashmir in new map, connects Line of Control with China’s border

Name: Anniversary of loss of special status for Indian-held Kashmir sparks protests on Pakistan side
Uploaded: 2020-08-05T03:03:05.000Z
Description: Anniversary of loss of special status for Indian-held Kashmir sparks protests on Pakistan side

The map connects the Line of Control with China’s border to assert Islamabad’s claim to Siachen Glacier

New Delhi slammed the move as ‘an exercise in political absurdity’, saying these ridiculous assertions have no legal validity

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Pakistan’s new political map. Photo: AFP

Kyodo

Published: 11:03am, 5 Aug 2020Updated: 2:54pm, 6 Aug 2020

The Pakistan government on Tuesday unveiled the country’s new political map underlining the disputed status of the Kashmir region also claimed by India.

Prime Minister Imran Khan introduced the new map after its approval by the Cabinet and endorsement by opposition parties.

The map was launched a day before Pakistan observes the first anniversary of the annexation by India of the portion of Kashmir governed by New Delhi.

Anniversary of loss of special status for Indian-held Kashmir sparks protests on Pakistan side

Khan said the new map is the first step toward the resolution of the long-standing Kashmir dispute with India, and emphasised that Pakistan believes in a political solution.

“This political map of Pakistan, which we are unveiling to the world, firstly represents the desires of the Pakistani people, and the principled stance of the people of Kashmir, and rejects the illegal step India took on August 5 last year,” he said.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the new map reflects Pakistan’s position on the dispute.

The disputed territory is shown in green colour on the map, in which the Line of Control demarcation has been connected with the Chinese border to assert Pakistan’s claim to the Siachen Glacier. The map also reflects Pakistan’s position on Sir Creek, a separate maritime boundary dispute with India.