Gilgit-Baltistan is a part of India, says activist H Sering

In a major embarrassment to Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan activist Senge H Sering on Wednesday called the occupied northern region a "part of India."

"Gilgit-Baltistan is a part of India. Members of the United Nations need to realise that Pakistan has become a big stumble block for last 70 years," said Sering at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Sering accused Pakistan of changing the demography of the region in the years following the abolishing of the State Subject Rule in 1984.

"You will be surprised that while Pakistan is trying to be the attorney of Kashmiri people, it has changed the demography in a huge manner," he said.

Gilgit-Baltistan is currently a part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir. It borders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west, and Jammu and Kashmir to the south. Currently, the region is neither a province nor a state and has a semi-provincial status.

"What India has done in Ladakh by giving them autonomy rights, giving them their own union territory is something that we could look towards and hope that one day Gilgit-Baltistan will be able to have that kind of development and political model that India provides to Ladakh," added Sering.