'It Is & Will Always Be Part Of India': MEA On Gilgit-Baltistan Seeking Provincial Status From Pakistan

Published 17 July 2026 · local

'It Is & Will Always Be Part Of India': MEA On Gilgit-Baltistan Seeking Provincial Status From Pakistan Published By, Last Updated: July 17, 2026, 19:03

'It Is & Will Always Be Part Of India': MEA On Gilgit-Baltistan Seeking Provincial Status From Pakistan Published By, Last Updated: July 17, 2026, 19:03 IST Pakistan currently has 4 provinces, namely Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While Gilgit-Baltistan continues to operate under a limited self-governance framework. India has repeatedly opposed Pakistan's attempts to change the status of territories under its control, saying that such one-sided decisions have no legal basis. (Representative image) Gilgit-Baltistan issue: The Indian government on Friday reacted strongly to the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly’s unanimous resolution seeking provincial status from Pakistan, reiterating that the region “was, is and will always be a part of India". Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has consistently maintained that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of the country. His remarks came in response to questions on the resolution passed by the assembly in Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Jaiswal reaffirmed New Delhi’s long-standing position on Jammu and Kashmir.

India has repeatedly opposed any attempt by Pakistan to alter the status of territories under its control, asserting that such unilateral measures have no legal validity. Pakistan Eyes Provincial Status For Gilgit-Baltistan The development comes as Pakistan considers formally declaring Gilgit-Baltistan its fifth province after the region’s assembly unanimously adopted a resolution seeking constitutional recognition. The proposal calls on the federal government to amend Pakistan’s Constitution, grant full provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan and ensure representation for the region in the Assembly and Senate. How Many Provinces Are There In Pakistan? The resolution also states that residents of Gilgit-Baltistan should enjoy the same constitutional, political and democratic rights as citizens of Pakistan’s four provinces. Pakistan currently has four provinces — Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — while Gilgit-Baltistan continues to operate under a limited self-governance framework without full constitutional status. The move comes weeks after the June 7 elections to the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, which were marred by allegations of electoral irregularities. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the largest party and subsequently formed a coalition government with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).