Pakistan has expressed "serious concern" over India's draft Geospatial Information Regulation Bill. Pakistan's foreign affairs ministry said that they have sent letters to the United Nations Secretary General and the President of the UN Security Council expressing "serious concerns" over Indian government's efforts to introduce the Geospatial bill in the Indian parliament.

“Pakistan has expressed serious concern to the United Nations Secretary General and the President of the UN Security Council, through letters by our Permanent Representative in New York, with regard to the Indian government’s efforts to introduce a controversial ‘Geospatial Information Regulation Bill’ in the Indian Parliament,” the Foreign Office (FO) said.

"In violation of UNSC resolutions, the official map of India has been depicting the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir as part of India which is factually incorrect and legally untenable. Through the passage of this Bill, the Indian government would penalize the individuals and organizations who depict Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions." it said.

"We have urged the international community and the United Nations to fulfill their commitment with the people of Jammu and Kashmir by holding an independent and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices." it added.

"This current draft will dissuade a strong ecosystem of innovation. Please reconsider this current draft in favour of a regulation policy that will encourage all Indians who need and use geospatial data in everyday lives and who work every day to create businesses that serve India," a volunteer-led initiative called SaveTheMap, had drafted a template response users can send to the Ministry.

No person shall depict, disseminate, publish or distribute any wrong or false topographic information of India including international boundaries through internet platforms or online services or in any electronic or physical form, the bill says.

By Premji