The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has attributed the recent protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to Islamabad’s systematic plundering of resources from the region. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that Pakistan’s exploitative policies have deprived the local people of their rightful resources and benefits. Jaiswal emphasized that the Union Territories of Jammu, Ladakh, and Kashmir are an inseparable part of India and will always remain so.
Earlier this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that India will never give up its claim of PoK but it won’t have to capture it with force because its people, on their own, would want to be part of India after seeing the development in Kashmir. Addressing an election rally in Ballia’s Sikandarpur in support of the BJP’s Salempur candidate Ravindra Kushwaha, Singh asserted, “Pakistan Occupied Kashmir was ours, is ours and will remain ours.”
The MEA’s statement comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over cross-border terrorism. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently stated that Pakistan has made terrorism its core competence, defining their image. He emphasized that Pakistan must wind down its terror industry to be treated as a normal neighbor.
The ongoing protests in PoK underscore the deep-rooted grievances and resentment among the local population against Pakistan’s oppressive policies. The MEA’s statement serves as a reminder of India’s commitment to the territorial integrity of Jammu, Ladakh, and Kashmir, while highlighting Pakistan’s continued exploitation and suppression of the people of PoK.
