SRINAGAR: With the External Affairs Minister saying that the Kashmir dispute will be resolved with the return of PoK, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday told the Legislative Assembly that India should not only bring back PoK from Pakistan but also the part of J&K under Chinese occupation.
“The foreign minister is saying that we will get back PoK, the part of J&K which is under the occupation of Pakistan. Tell me who has stopped them? Did we ever say not to bring it back? We say if you want to bring it back, bring it back,” Omar told the legislators in the Assembly while replying to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Lt Governor’s address.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, had earlier stated that the Kashmir dispute would be resolved once the “stolen part” of Kashmir, referring to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), is returned to India.
Speaking at London’s Chatham House think tank on Wednesday, Jaishankar said, “I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir which is under illegal Pakistani occupation. When that is done, I assure you, Kashmir will be solved.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan responded, saying, “Instead of making baseless claims about Azad Jammu and Kashmir, India should vacate the large territories of Jammu and Kashmir that it has occupied for the last 77 years.”
Addressing a question on Kashmir, Jaishankar asserted that India has made significant progress in resolving most of the issue. He outlined key steps taken, including the removal of Article 370, efforts to restore economic activity and social justice in Kashmir, and the holding of elections with high voter turnout.
Jaishankar reiterated India’s stance, stating that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is, and shall forever” remain an integral part of the country.
On BJP members during their speeches attacking the Congress and accusing the party of leaving the Hajipir sector to Pakistan, Omar said, “When the Kargil war took place, what did you bring back. You had an opportunity to bring it (PoK) back. You had the opportunity as Pakistan had attacked. If you were so interested in bringing it back, you should have brought it back then”.
The CM said if it did not happen then, bring it back now.
“If you can bring it back, retrieve it. None from us can say not to bring it back,” he said.
Reminding the BJP legislators that China is also occupying a part of J&K, Omar said, “When you see J&K’s map, one of the parts is with Pakistan and another is with China. Why is there no talk of it?”
“When you bring it (PoK) back from Pakistan, bring the J&K’s part under occupation of China also back,” he said.
The CM also slammed the BJP for linking Article 370 with terrorism saying if that was the case why terrorism increased in Jammu region after its abrogation on August 5, 2019.
“The Jammu region was cleared of militancy during my previous regime in 2009-2014. There were no blasts then,” he said.