Islamabad, Sep 10 (V7N) – In a renewed territorial claim, Pakistan has asserted that Junagadh, a region in the western Indian state of Gujarat, is part of its territory, alleging that India has held the region under "illegal occupation" since 1948. The statement, made by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, has reignited a long-standing dispute between the two neighbours.

According to a report by the Anandabazar newspaper, Baloch stated that at the time of partition in 1947, Junagadh had acceded to Pakistan, but India annexed it soon after, in what she termed as a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. "Pakistan views this issue through a historical and legal lens, and we see Junagadh as a part of Pakistan," Baloch declared during a press conference.

The Junagadh dispute dates back to the partition of British India, when the princely state of Junagadh's Muslim ruler chose to accede to Pakistan, despite being geographically surrounded by India. However, after a referendum held in 1948, the majority of Junagadh's population, predominantly Hindu, voted to join India, leading to its annexation by New Delhi.

Baloch’s statement has raised questions about whether Pakistan is attempting to shift international attention from its long-standing dispute with India over Jammu and Kashmir. She likened the situation in Junagadh to Pakistan's claim over Jammu and Kashmir, referring to both as “unfinished agendas” for Pakistan.

This is not the first time Pakistan has made such claims. In 2020, Islamabad sparked controversy when it included Junagadh, along with parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Gujarat’s Sir Creek region, in its revised political map. India had firmly rejected Pakistan's claims, calling them "unreasonable and baseless" and dismissing the map as an expression of Pakistan's "territorial ambitions."

India has yet to respond to Pakistan’s latest claim, but tensions between the two countries over territorial disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, have long been a source of friction in their diplomatic relations.

The claim over Junagadh is expected to add another layer of complexity to the already strained ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

END/AJ/SMA