A day after India’s UN map remarks, Pakistan provokes again over Jammu and Kashmir

Pakistan firmly rejected India's stance on the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that India's claims have "no bearing on the status of the disputed territory," according to a statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan, spokesperson for the Foreign Office, made the remarks on X, stating that Pakistan categorically rejects India's baseless assertions, which are contrary to internationally recognized facts.

Khan emphasized that India's unilateral actions and continued illegal occupation cannot alter the internationally recognized status of Jammu and Kashmir. He reiterated that the dispute remains "one of the oldest unresolved, internationally recognized disputes" on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, and that the final status of the region must be determined through a UN-augmented plebiscite, as stipulated in relevant UN resolutions.

Moreover, Pakistan rejected India's official maps and its unilateral claims of sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir, calling these actions incompatible with the territory's legal status as outlined in United Nations maps. Pakistan urged the international community to press India to cease human rights violations in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and fulfill its commitment to the realization of the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination as per UN Security Council resolutions.

This comes amid a long-standing territorial dispute between India and Pakistan, where both nations claim the entire region but only control partial portions. Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors have been at a standstill since India revoked the autonomous status of IIOJK in 2019, leading to the downgrade of diplomatic ties and a suspension of bilateral trade.

The conflict intensified last year following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. India accused Pakistan-based elements without evidence, while Pakistan denied the claim. The standoff escalated further with India closing the Wagah border, revoking Pakistani visas, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, moves that Pakistan deemed an "act of war."

India subsequently launched attacks inside Pakistan, prompting Pakistan to retaliate with Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, during which it downed five Indian jets, including Rafales, and intercepted 77 Israeli-origin Harop drones. Following several days of military exchanges, both countries agreed to a ceasefire led by US President Donald Trump, who pledged to support a resolution of the Kashmir dispute and to boost trade between the nations.