Terming Pakistan an “occupier” of Gilgit-Baltistan, a United States-based organisation has said that Islamabad’s withdrawal from this part of Jammu and Kashmir will help resolve the Kashmir issue.

“Indian Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi’s policy to highlight human rights violations in Gilgit-Baltistan is a positive step,” said Senge Sering, director of the Washington DC-based Gilgit-Baltistan National Congress.

‘Pak an intruder’

In a statement, Mr. Sering said the U.N. Security Council through its resolutions has declared Pakistan an intruder in Gilgit-Baltistan.

“The international community including India and other neighbours of Pakistan must remind Pakistan that it is an occupier in Gilgit-Baltistan and only Pakistan’s withdrawal from Gilgit-Baltistan will help fast track the settlement of dispute over Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said.

‘Allow the people to air grievances’

“Since Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed area, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan should have the right to initiate direct talks with the UN Office representatives, the government of Kashmir in Srinagar and the Indian Union government in Delhi to come up with mechanisms to solve the dispute,” Mr. Sering added.