Pakistan conveys its concerns to UN over India border map

NEW DELHI: Pakistan has conveyed its concern to the United Nations over the depiction of Jammu and Kashmir in India’s draft geospatial information bill, saying the world body should stop acts that violate international law.

The draft bill, which triggered protests from India’s internet activists, envisages stringent penalties for the wrong depiction of India in maps, including a fine of up to Rs 100 crore and a jail term of up to seven years. It also proposes to restrict the use of real-time mapping of data.

“Pakistan has expressed serious concern to the UN Secretary General and the President of the UN Security Council, through letters by our permanent representative in New York, with regard to the Indian government’s efforts to introduce a controversial ‘Geospatial Information Regulation Bill’ in the Indian Parliament,” said a statement of Foreign Office.

Pakistan has a view that India’s official map was “depicting the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir as part of India” in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. It described the Indian map as “factually incorrect and legally untenable”.

“Through the passage of this bill, the Indian government would penalise the individuals and organisations who depict Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” the statement said.

Pakistan’s letter called on the UN to uphold the Security Council resolutions and “urge India to stop such acts which are in violation of international law”.

“We have urged the international community and the UN to fulfil their commitment with the people of Jammu and Kashmir by holding an independent and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices,” the statement said.