Introduction
Referring to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent remarks on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday questioned who was stopping the Centre from reclaiming it.
Jaishankar’s Statement on PoK
Jaishankar, while answering a Pakistani journalist’s question at an event in London on Wednesday, stated that the Kashmir issue would be resolved when the “stolen part of Kashmir, which is under illegal Pakistani occupation,” is returned.
Omar Abdullah’s Response
Speaking in the J-K Assembly on Thursday, Abdullah challenged the Centre, asking: “Who stopped you (from reclaiming PoK)?”
“One part is with Pakistan. Did we ever say don’t reclaim it?” he added. “Reclaim it if you can.”
He also pointed out that PoK could have been reclaimed during the Kargil war but was not. “It’s okay that it could not be done then, but if you can reclaim it today, then who among us will say don’t get it back?”
Mention of China’s Control Over Kashmir
Abdullah also highlighted that a portion of Kashmir is under Chinese control. “While a part of Kashmir is occupied by Pakistan, a part of it is with China as well. Why is there no mention of that part?” he asked.
“When you reclaim PoK, please do us a favour by reclaiming the part of Kashmir that is with China,” Abdullah added.
Criticism of BJP’s Policies
Concluding the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Lt Governor’s address in the Assembly, Abdullah accused the BJP of destroying the legacy of the last Dogra ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, by dividing the erstwhile state into two Union Territories and abrogating laws that protected locals regarding land and employment.
He further questioned the BJP about the impact of abrogating J-K’s special status under Article 370 in 2019. According to him, it neither ended militancy nor corruption. He also pointed out that incidents of terror attacks were being reported in areas like Jammu and Reasi, which had been militancy-free long before 2019.
0 Comments