India calls PoJK polls a ‘Farce’, Says Pakistan cannot hide 90 civilian killings

New Delhi: India on Tuesday strongly criticised Pakistan over so-called local elections in Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), calling the exercise a “complete farce” and accusing Islamabad of trying to cover up its crackdown on civilians.

 

Addressing a media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ground reality in PoJK is one of public protests and continued violence, not democracy.

 

 

 

“Regarding the second phase of elections, this so-called local election in Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir is a complete farce. The real situation is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality,” Jaiswal said.

He said that since June this year, at least 90 civilians have been killed in the ongoing crackdown and many others have been injured. Pakistani establishment has responded to public anger with “bullets, blackouts, intimidation, and repression” while attempting to create an impression of legitimacy through what he described as a “hollow electoral exercise.

 

Jaiswal further said Pakistan must be held accountable for its actions and asserted that the international community should not be misled by what he called Pakistan’s “hypocritical lecturing on human rights.”