Political Absurdity: India On Pakistan Unveiling New Political Map

Pakistan released a new map and India on Tuesday termed it as an "exercise of political absurdity". Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan released the political map during a meeting in Islamabad and it was attended by his cabinet and senior officials. He said that this was the first step towards a national struggle to secure the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people.

The external affairs ministry of India said that "We have seen a so-called political map of Pakistan that has been released by Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is an exercise in political absurdity, laying untenable claims to territories in the Indian state of Gujarat and our Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and of Ladakh."

It further stated that "These ridiculous assertions have neither legal validity nor international credibility. In fact, this new effort only confirms the reality of Pakistan''s obsession with territorial aggrandisement supported by cross-border terrorism."

Imran Khan added that "The new map will be used in schools and colleges and globally and the only solution to the Kashmir problem can be found under UN Security Council resolutions that specifically give the Kashmir people, the right to vote on whether to go with Pakistan or India."

The map also shows the Junagadh and Manavadar regions of the Gujarat state of India as a part of Pakistan. The Nawab of Junagadh had decided to join Pakistan in September 1947, before leaving India with his family the following month. Junagadh voted overwhelmingly to remain with India at a plebiscite held in the city in 1948. Experts agree that Pakistan has no legal basis for claiming the region.