London [UK], June 22 (ANI): Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) chairman Sohail Abro has strongly criticised Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for proposing representation for Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) in the country's National Assembly and Senate.

In a statement, Abro stated that Bilawal's suggestion, made during his recent budget speech in Pakistan's National Assembly, was unacceptable because both PoJK and PoGB remain disputed territories whose political future has yet to be determined by their people.

According to Abro, Pakistan has no legal or moral authority to integrate these regions into its constitutional and parliamentary framework. He argued that since 1948, PoJK and PoGB have remained territories whose status remains unresolved under international law, and therefore any attempt to grant them representation in Pakistan's federal institutions would undermine their right to self-determination.

The JSFM chairman further claimed that at the time of the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, POJK existed as a sovereign entity, while PoGB also possessed independent political identities. He also asserted that Balochistan was an independent state before being incorporated into Pakistan.

Abro alleged that Pakistan used military force to establish control over parts of PoJK and later extended its authority over PoGB. He maintained that sovereignty over these territories belongs exclusively to their inhabitants rather than the Pakistani state or its political leadership.

Referring to recent developments in the region, Abro said unrest and protests in POJK reflected public dissatisfaction, adding that PoGB had also witnessed similar demonstrations and political tensions in the past.

Calling for international intervention, Abro urged the United Nations to facilitate referendums in both PoJK and PoGB. He said residents of these territories should be allowed to decide their future through a free and transparent democratic process.

Abro maintained that the right to self-determination and independence is a fundamental human, political, and legal entitlement under international principles. (ANI)