India protests destruction of Buddhist sites in PoK

NEW DELHI: India has taken up with Pakistan reports of vandalism, defacement and destruction of Buddhist archaeological sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
India also called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all illegally occupied territories and end gross violation of political, economic and cultural rights of people living there, the government said.
"We have conveyed our strong concern at reports of vandalism, defacement and destruction of invaluable Indian Buddhist heritage located in so-called ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’ area of the Indian territory under illegal and forcible occupation of Pakistan," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
The government said it was a matter of grave concern that the Buddhist symbols were being destroyed and religious and cultural rights and freedoms were being "trampled with impunity" in the Indian territories under illegal occupation of Pakistan.
"Egregious activities of this nature which display contempt for the ancient civilisational and cultural heritage are highly condemnable," Srivastava said.
India also sought immediate access for its experts to the area in order to restore and preserve this invaluable archaeological heritage.