India accuses Pakistan of propaganda over Kashmir observance

India's Ministry of External Affairs condemned Pakistan's observance of Youm-e-Istehsal on 5 August, saying its attempts to peddle falsehoods were meant to deflect attention from Pakistan's own human rights record and its status as what the ministry called the global epicentre of terrorism, The Times of India reported. The MEA said the constitutional changes of 5 August 2019, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status and created the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, are an internal matter for India alone.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the two union territories are an integral and inalienable part of India and that Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on them, and accused Pakistani security forces of lethal violence, targeted killings and bans on civil rights protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He called on Pakistan to stop the violence, act against terror networks operating from its soil, and vacate Indian territory under what he called its illegal occupation.