‘Political map’ released by Islamabad as an exercise in ‘political absurdity’: New Delhi

India on Tuesday termed the “political map” released by Pakistan as an exercise in “political absurdity”, saying “these ridiculous assertions have neither legal validity nor international credibility."

“This is an exercise in political absurdity, laying untenable claims to territories in the Indian State of Gujarat and our Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and of Ladakh,” said an Indian external affairs ministry statement this evening.

The MEA statement was issued hours after Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan unveiled a new “political map of Pakistan” that counts Jammu and Kashmir and Junagadh in Gujarat as its territories.

The statement said that “the new effort only confirms reality of Pakistan’s obsession with territorial aggrandisement supported by cross-border terrorism.”

“This is the most historic day in Pakistan’s history,” Imran Khan told a news conference on Tuesday after getting cabinet approval for the map, which also included Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistan prime minister’s announcement came a day ahead of the first anniversary of India’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split the erstwhile state into two centrally-administered territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.