Jaishankar’s assertion on ‘stolen part of Kashmir’ rattles Pakistan

Pakistan on Thursday rejected EAM S Jaishankar’s ‘stolen part of Kashmir’ remark as “baseless”, adding that India should “vacate the large territories of Jammu and Kashmir”.

Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar, speaking during a session at the Chatham House think-tank in London on Wednesday, said the Kashmir dispute would be solved after the “return of the stolen part of Kashmir which is under illegal Pakistani occupation.”

Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, “We reject the remarks made by the Indian external affairs minister on Jammu and Kashmir during an event held at Chatham House, London on March 5."

“Instead of making baseless claims about Azad Jammu and Kashmir, India should vacate the large territories of Jammu and Kashmir under its occupation from the last 77 years,” he added.

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Jaishankar , who is on a visit to the UK, highlighted the developments made in Kashmir in the past couple of years and mentioned the successful conduction of elections in the region following the revocation of Article 370.

He said, “Look in Kashmir actually we have done I think good job solving most of it. I think removing Article 370 was step number one. Then, we restore growth, economic activity and social justice in Kashmir. It was step number two, holding elections, which were done with a very high turnout for step number three.”

“I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under the illegal Pakistani occupation. When that’s done, I assure you. Kashmir solved,” he added. The remarks from the foreign affairs minister came a year after Jaishankar said that all Indian political parties remain committed to ensuring that PoK returns to India.

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The Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson also said that Kashmir was an internationally recognised disputed territory and the remarks by Jaishankar “misrepresent the ground realities and contravene the international law.”

“The relevant UN Security Council resolutions stipulate that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be determined through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices. India’s prevarication cannot change this reality,” he said.

With inputs from PTI