India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over plans to hold an election in the strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region, which New Delhi claims as part of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Pakistan government plans to hold polls to the 33-member Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on June 7, despite India's claims that the region is illegally occupied.
India reiterated its position that the entire union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including Gilgit-Baltistan, are integral parts of India.
The Indian government emphasized that Pakistan's actions cannot mask the underlying issues of human rights violations, political repression, and economic exploitation in the region.
India has protested against the holding of elections in Gilgit-Baltistan in the past and has also objected to the region's inclusion in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
