Context:

Pakistan released a new political map in August 2020, that claimed all of Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistan territories, on the eve of the first anniversary of revocation of Article 370. It also includes Ladakh, Sir Creek, and Junagadh.

The new political map

• On paper, the map links Pakistan with Chinese-administered territory via the Shaksgam Valley, a part of the Gilgit-Baltistan region ceded to China by Pakistan under their 1963 border settlement.
• To the east is the Aksai Chin region – the limit of China’s claims in Kashmir which it has controlled since a 1962 war with India.
• Between the two lies the Siachen Glacier, an undefined area at the northern extreme of the de facto border between Pakistani- and Indian-administered Kashmir known as the Line of Control.
• The new map showed the Pakistan frontier clearly marked with India with the entire Kashmir as its territory.
• However, the part of Kashmir and Ladakh’s border with China was not marked and described as Frontier Undecided.
• Similarly, the Line of Control had been extended to the Karakoram Pass, clearing showing Siachen as part of Pakistan. The LoC had been marked by a red dotted line.
• The J&K had been described as Disputed Territory Final status to be decided in line with relevant UNSC resolutions.
• Another change in the map showed that the international borderlines lie along the eastern bank of Sir Creek, which was previously along the western bank.
• The other inclusion is that of Junagadh, also in coastal Gujarat.

Sir Creek

• Sir Creek is a 96-km strip of water disputed between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marshlands.
• Originally named Ban Ganga, Sir Creek is named after a British representative.
• The Creek opens up in the Arabian Sea and roughly divides the Kutch region of Gujarat from the Sindh Province of Pakistan.
• Apart from a strategic location, Sir Creek’s core importance is fishing resources. Sir Creek is considered to be among the largest fishing grounds in Asia.

Junagarh

• Is situated in the western state of Gujarat at the foothills of the Girnar Hills.
• The city of Junagarh takes its name from the fort that encloses the old city.
• Junagarh was an important trade center as testified by the Ashokan edicts dating from 250 BC.
• At the time of partition, the Nawab of Junagarh opted to take his tiny state into Pakistan.
• However, the predominantly Hindu population forced the Nawab to leave the country instead