Pakistan Rejects India’s AJK Election Remarks Amid Kashmir Dispute
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday rejected India’s criticism of the ongoing Azad Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly elections, saying New Delhi had no legal, political or moral basis to comment on the democratic process in AJK.
The response came during the weekly Foreign Office briefing, where spokesperson Tahir Andrabi addressed questions about remarks attributed to India’s External Affairs Ministry. The comments were made as AJK continues phased elections under heightened security arrangements following recent unrest in the region.
According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan views India’s statement as politically motivated and intended to divert attention from the internationally recognised dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. Islamabad maintained that the elections in AJK were being held in an orderly and transparent manner under the region’s constitutional and legal framework.
Andrabi said Pakistan categorically rejected India’s position and argued that New Delhi’s own conduct in Indian-administered Kashmir deprived it of credibility to comment on democratic activity across the Line of Control. He said the people of AJK were expressing their political will through the electoral process.
The spokesperson linked India’s latest remarks to the seventh anniversary of its August 5, 2019 actions, when New Delhi revoked the special constitutional status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has consistently described that move as illegal, unilateral and contrary to United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The Kashmir dispute has remained one of the longest-running flashpoints in South Asia since partition. Pakistan’s position is that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir must be determined in accordance with UN resolutions and through the will of the Kashmiri people, while India maintains that the region is its internal matter.
The latest exchange also comes at a sensitive time for regional politics, with AJK elections taking place in phases and Pakistan marking Youm-i-Istehsal to highlight opposition to India’s 2019 constitutional changes. Islamabad has used the anniversary to renew diplomatic calls for international attention on Kashmir.
For Pakistan, the issue carries domestic political weight as well as foreign policy significance. Statements on Kashmir often resonate across political parties, civil society and the Pakistani diaspora, while also shaping Islamabad’s diplomatic messaging at multilateral forums.
The next stage will depend on how the AJK electoral process concludes and whether India responds further to Pakistan’s rejection. Islamabad is expected to continue raising the Kashmir dispute through diplomatic channels, particularly as the anniversary of the 2019 decision renews focus on human rights, representation and regional stability.