PoK in UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan in Ladakh in new map of India
Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has released the new map of India depicting the two UTs with PoK 'capital' Muzaffarabad within the geographical boundary of the country
In a huge statement to Pakistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of the newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, while Gilgit-Baltistan is in the UT of Ladakh in the fresh maps released by the government on Saturday following the bifurcation.
In a notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs also released the new map of India depicting the two UTs with PoK 'capital' Muzaffarabad within the geographical boundary of the country.
The move comes even as Pakistan and China have been rebelling against India's decision to bifurcate the former state into two Union territories, which was enforced on 31 October following the Presidential order, which was signed on 5 August.
The new map shows three districts — Muzaffarabad, Punch and Mirpur — which are under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) — as part of India's geographic confines while the Ladakh Union Territory consists of two districts — Kargil and Leh — while the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory comprises 20 districts.
In a statement, the Union home ministry said that in 1947, the former State of Jammu and Kashmir had the following 14 districts - Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Anantnag, Baramulla, Poonch, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Leh and Ladakh, Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory.
By 2019, the state government of former Jammu and Kashmir had reorganized the areas of these 14 districts into 28 districts. The names of the new districts are as follows - Kupwara, Bandipur, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shupian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtivar, Samba and Kargil.
"Out of these, Kargil district was carved out from the area of Leh and Ladakh district. The Leh district of the new Union Territory of Ladakh has been defined in the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Removal of Difficulties) Second Order, 2019, issued by the President of India, to include the areas of the districts of Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory of 1947, in addition to the remaining areas of Leh and Ladakh districts of 1947, after carving out the Kargil District," the ministry said.