India, Aug. 4 -- India on Tuesday, August 4, described the ongoing local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a "complete farce", stating that such exercises cannot conceal the ground reality of public protests and killings by Pakistani forces.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Pakistani establishment has responded to widespread discontent with "bullets, blackouts, intimidation and repression" and is now attempting to create a facade of legitimacy through the polls.

"This so-called local election in PoK is a complete farce. The real happening is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality," Jaiswal said at a regular medi...