Why India has strongly opposed Pakistan's planned assembly elections in Gilgit-Baltistan

In a significant development, India on Friday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over Islamabad's plans to hold general elections to the so called Gilgit-Baltistan assembly, stating that the region is Indian territory that has been "illegally and forcibly" occupied. In this regard, New Delhi asserted that such endeavours by Pakistan cannot "mask" the underlying issues of "grave" human rights violations, political repression, economic exploitation and denial of freedom in the territories illegally occupied by Pakistan.