- WEB DESK
- August 6, 2026
Pakistan rejects India’s ‘unwarranted’ remarks on AJK polls
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- Javed Soomro
- August 6, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly rejected India’s criticism of the ongoing Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) legislative elections, saying New Delhi has “neither the standing nor the moral authority” to comment on the democratic process in the region while continuing to deny political rights to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The remarks came during the Foreign Office’s weekly press briefing, where spokesperson Tahir Andrabi responded to questions about the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) statement describing the AJK elections as a “farce”.
“Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless and politically motivated remarks of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs regarding the ongoing legislative elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” Andrabi said.
He said it was “unsurprising” that India had issued the remarks on the eve of the seventh anniversary of its unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, when New Delhi revoked the special constitutional status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the spokesperson, those actions violated the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, international law and India’s international commitments.
Andrabi said the elections in AJK were being conducted in “a peaceful, transparent and orderly manner in accordance with the constitutional and legal framework governing the region.”
“The ongoing elections reflect the democratic aspirations and political will of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He maintained that India, given its continued denial of democratic freedoms and fundamental political rights in occupied Kashmir, had “neither the standing nor the moral authority to comment on the democratic process in AJK”.
The spokesperson said India’s attempts to spread misinformation and propaganda could not alter the internationally recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Its final disposition is to be determined in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the freely expressed will of the Kashmiri people through a UN-administered plebiscite,” he said.
Responding to another question on India’s criticism of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s Youm-e-Istehsal remarks, Andrabi described New Delhi’s statement as a “self-serving eulogy” of its policies in occupied Kashmir.
He said the reality remained that a heavy military presence and stringent security laws continued to facilitate demographic changes aimed at altering the Muslim-majority character of the territory.
The spokesperson also accused India of systematically suppressing the voices of Kashmiris, saying infrastructure development in the occupied territory could not substitute for their internationally recognised right to self-determination.
Pakistan, he added, remained steadfast in supporting the Kashmiri people’s just struggle and called on India to reverse its “illegal and unilateral” measures and engage in a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with relevant UNSC resolutions.
Pakistan backs diplomatic efforts in Gulf
The spokesperson said that Pakistan remained actively engaged with friendly countries to help resolve tensions in the Gulf and the wider Middle East, particularly the standoff around the Strait of Hormuz.
He praised Oman’s role in promoting regional peace and stability, saying Islamabad appreciated Muscat’s continued efforts to encourage dialogue, de-escalation and peaceful coexistence.
Pakistan, he added, would continue supporting all sincere diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the regional crisis.
As part of these diplomatic efforts, Andrabi said Deputy Prime Minister Dar spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on July 30, during which they discussed developments in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Palestine.
On August 3, Dar also held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, discussing the deteriorating situation in Occupied East Jerusalem and other regional developments. During the call, Dar invited his Iranian counterpart to visit Pakistan, he said.
Dar attends Jerusalem meeting in Jordan
The spokesperson said Dar travelled to Amman on August 5 to attend the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem at the invitation of Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister **Ayman Safadi**.
He said that the meeting brought together Arab League member states and selected Islamic countries to coordinate a common response to the deteriorating situation in occupied Jerusalem.
He said that Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people and reiterated its commitment to an independent, sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Dar held bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of Jordan, Turkiye, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq and Somalia.
The spokesperson also said the foreign ministers of the R-4 Group — Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye —held their fifth meeting in Amman, reaffirming support for Palestinian self-determination and stressing that a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian issue remained essential for lasting peace in the Middle East.
The ministers also reviewed the broader regional security situation and emphasised continued diplomacy, consultation and coordination to promote peace and stability.
Pakistan-US counterterrorism dialogue
The Foreign Office spokesperson also highlighted the fourth round of the Pakistan-US Counterterrorism Dialogue, held in Washington on August 5, led by Pakistan’s Special Secretary Ambassador Nabeel Munir.
According to the spokesperson, the dialogue reaffirmed the shared commitment of both countries to combating terrorism and strengthening cooperation against regional militant threats.
The two sides exchanged assessments of the current threat environment, discussed ways to improve border security and explored measures to disrupt terrorist facilitation networks.
The spokesperson said that Pakistan and the United States reaffirmed their determination to counter terrorist organisations, including Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), Al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Pakistan, Australia review bilateral ties
Separately, the spokesperson said, Pakistan and Australia held the ninth round of Senior Official Talks and the Joint Trade Committee Meeting in Canberra on August 4.
The two countries reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and discussed expanding cooperation in political, economic, trade, security and regional matters.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the bilateral partnership.
The spokesperson also recalled that Pakistan observed Youm-e-Istehsal on August 5, marking seven years since India’s revocation of occupied Kashmir’s special constitutional status, and reiterated Islamabad’s continued support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
