In a recent speech at Chatham House in London, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the Kashmir issue and stated that Pakistan must return what he called the “stolen part” of Kashmir, specifically Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in order to end the protracted conflict.
He emphasized that since Article 370 was repealed in August 2019, which ended the special status that had previously been accorded to Jammu and Kashmir, tremendous strides had been made in resolving the Kashmir issue.
The removal of Article 370, efforts to restore economic growth and social justice, and holding elections with a high voter turnout are the three steps that India has taken to improve conditions in the region, according to Jaishankar.
“I believe the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen portion of Kashmir, which is illegally occupied by Pakistan,” he said. I promise that Kashmir will be resolved once that is finished.
India’s stance that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is, and shall forever” remain an essential part of India was restated by the minister. He emphasized that there is a national consensus on this issue and that all Indian political parties are dedicated to seeing that PoK returns to India. India and Pakistan are still at odds over territorial claims in the area, which is why Jaishankar made those comments.
Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson refuted Jaishankar’s remarks, saying that India should stop making “baseless claims” about the PoK and instead leave areas under its control.
Historical grievances and nationalistic sentiments continue to fuel ongoing disputes, making the discussion of Kashmir a sensitive subject in Indo-Pak relations.
