Not just PoK, retrieve part of Jammu and Kashmir under China's control too: Omar Abdullah on Jaishankar's remark
Srinagar/IBNS: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has appealed to the Government of India to retrieve not just the Pakistan-occupied part of the valley but also the one which is under China's control in response to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent remarks on border dispute between the two South Asian countries.
Jaishankar has recently said the Kashmir dispute will be resolved once the "stolen" part of the valley is returned to India.
"I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir which is only under illegal Pakistani occupation. When that's done, I assure you, Kashmir is solved," Jaishankar said at London's Chatham House.
"Return of PoK will solve all the Kashmir issues."
— Tulla Veerender Goud (@TVG_BJP) March 6, 2025
EAM @DrSJaishankar ji brutally dismantled the Pakistani reporter who desperately tried to rake up the Kashmir issue.
India’s stand is clear—PoK is ours, and its return is inevitable pic.twitter.com/Bq7wZ42VrJ
In response, Abdullah, who is running the Jammu and Kashmir government in an alliance with the Congress, said, "The Foreign Minister said the PoK will be retrieved. Who has stopped you? Have we ever said do not bring it back? We have always maintained to bring it back if such is the intention... But have you brought it back during the Kargil war?
"Wasn't there an opportunity to bring it back? Why didn't you bring it back at that time when there was an opportunity given the fact Pakistan had attacked us. Doesn't matter if you couldn't do it back but do it now. Who among us has opposed it?"
He added addressing the legislative assembly, "But not just Pakistan has occupied a part of Jammu and Kashmir, China too has occupied a part. Why does no one talk about bringing the part of Jammu and Kashmir which is under China's control?
"I would urge the government to bring back both the parts of Jammu and Kashmir."
VIDEO | On External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's remarks on PoK, Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) said, "The External Affairs Minister has said that they (BJP-led central government) will take back (PoK). Who has stopped them? Did we ever stop them? They… pic.twitter.com/rwn5y2Ywia
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 6, 2025
Jaishankar's remark was applauded by several in the room.
The EAM has also stressed on the benefits of the Modi government's historic step of abrogating Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
"On Kashmir, actually we have done, I think, a good job solving most of it. I think removing Article 370 was the first step followed by restoring growth and economic activity and social justice, holding elections which were done with a very high turnout," said Jaishankar.
Abdullah has slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which runs the central government, for linking abrogation of Article 370 with terrorism.
The Chief Minister questioned the BJP over the alleged increase in terrorism since the abrogation of Article 370.
