<p style=”margin-bottom: 13px; text-align: center;”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:150%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><b><span style=”font-size:12.0pt”><span style=”line-height:150%”><span style=”font-family:"Cambria","serif"”><span style=”color:black”>SOURCE – THE HINDU</span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></p>
<p style=”margin-bottom: 13px; text-align: center;”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:150%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><b><span style=”font-size:12.0pt”><span style=”line-height:150%”><span style=”font-family:"Cambria","serif"”><span style=”color:black”>GS PAPER – 2</span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></p>
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<p style=”margin-bottom:13px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><b><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>CONTEXT</span></span></b><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”> – Pakistan has decided to elevate Gilgit-Baltistan’s status to that of a full-fledged province,</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style=”margin-bottom:13px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><b><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>PAKISTAN’S TAKE –</span></span></b></span></span></span></p>
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<li style=”margin-left:8px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>Gilgit-Baltistan would be given adequate representation on all constitutional bodies, including the National Assembly and the Senate</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li style=”margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:8px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>After consultation with all stakeholders, the federal government has decided in principle to give constitutional rights to Gilgit-Baltistan</span></span></span></span></span></li>
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<p style=”margin-bottom:13px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”tab-stops:176.25pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><b><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>INDIA’S OBJECTIONS </span></span></b></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style=”margin-bottom:13px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>The Government of Pakistan or its judiciary has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<li style=”margin-left:8px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>Pakistan should immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li style=”margin-left:8px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>Work on the Moqpondass Special Economic Zone would begin under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li style=”margin-bottom:13px; margin-left:8px”><span style=”font-size:11pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”><span style=”font-family:Calibri,sans-serif”><span style=”font-size:14.0pt”><span style=”line-height:115%”>The Moqpondass SEZ in Gilgit is part of the CPEC, and began construction after Imran Khan’s visit to China in April 2019.</span></span></span></span></span></li>
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