'Cosmetic exercise to camouflage illegal occupation': MEA rejects Pak-organised polls in PoK

NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday dismissed the legislative assembly elections being held in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), calling the exercise a "cosmetic" attempt by Islamabad to legitimise its " illegal occupation " of the region.

Responding to reports on the polls, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that the entire Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including areas currently under Pakistan's control, are an integral part of India.