India has criticised The New York Times over its description of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), calling the newspaper’s terminology “misleading and incorrect.”
The objection came after the U.S.-based newspaper published a report on violence during local elections in the region with the headline referring to the territory as “Pakistani Kashmir.”
In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Washington said there is “no Pakistani Kashmir, only Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” reiterating New Delhi’s longstanding position that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India.
The embassy further stated that Pakistan remains in what India describes as “illegal occupation” of parts of these territories and accused Islamabad of using violence against residents in the region.
The New York Times report covered clashes in the Mirpur area, where police confronted members of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil rights group protesting alleged police violence during local body elections. The report also cited the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which called for an immediate end to the violence and an independent investigation into reported deaths and injuries.
According to reports cited by Indian officials, more than 30 civilians have been killed and over 33 others injured during a crackdown by Pakistani security forces on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The demonstrations, led by the JAAC, have continued for weeks over rising living costs, alleged administrative neglect, political discrimination, and reported human rights concerns.
Earlier this month, India said the unrest in the region was the result of what it described as Pakistan’s long-standing “systemic exploitation and administrative oppression” in the territory.
New Delhi has also rejected the ongoing local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, calling them an attempt by Islamabad to legitimize what it considers an illegal occupation while diverting attention from alleged human rights violations.
