India has lodged a “strong protest’’ over the just-concluded elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, billing it as an attempt by Islamabad to camouflage Pakistan’s “illegal occupation’’.

India on Thursday also iterated its call to both Pakistan and China to cease making material changes in the area in the name of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that is a key component of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.

Asked for a response to the polls — which the Pakistani Opposition parties allege was rigged in favour of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf — external affairs ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said: “The so-called elections in Indian territory under the illegal occupation of Pakistan are nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation and the material changes undertaken by it in these territories.’’

Stating that India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistani authorities on this “cosmetic exercise’’, Bagchi drew attention to the fact that the local people had also protested and rejected it.

“Such an exercise can neither hide the illegal occupation by Pakistan nor the grave human rights violations, exploitation, and denial of freedom to people in these occupied territories. Pakistan has no locus standi on these Indian territories. We call upon Pakistan to vacate all Indian areas under its illegal occupation,’’ he added.

As for the reference to Jammu & Kashmir and CPEC in the joint press release issued earlier this week after a meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan and China, Bagchi said: “As in the past, India categorically rejects any reference to Jammu & Kashmir. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh has been and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India.’’

The joint press release said that the Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the deterioration of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, including its concerns, position and current urgent issues.

“The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir issue is a dispute left over from history between Pakistan and India, which is an objective fact, and that the dispute should be resolved peacefully and properly in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements,’’ the release said, adding that China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation.

On the reference to CPEC, Bagchi said India has consistently conveyed to both China and Pakistan that it is in India’s territory “that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan, and that we resolutely oppose any attempts by other countries to change the status quo in areas illegally occupied by Pakistan as also to Pakistan bringing up any material change in Indian territories under its illegal occupation’’.