War of words after Jaishankar says PoK is part of India

Going on the offensive on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, India on Tuesday asserted that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) was a part of the country, and one day will have "physical jurisdiction" over it. Seeking to quell worries over international pressure on the issue, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said there was no need to "worry" beyond a point about what people will say on Kashmir, as it is an internal issue on which its position has "prevailed and will prevail". In a statement, Pakistan reacted to the Indian assertions.

Pakistan called on the international community to take "serious cognizance" of India's aggressive posturing about taking physical jurisdiction' of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, saying such "irresponsible and belligerent" statements from New Delhi have the potential to further escalate tensions and seriously jeopardise peace and security in the region.

Such "irresponsible and belligerent" statements from India have the potential to further escalate tensions and seriously jeopardise peace and security in the region, Pakistan's foreign office said in a statement.

"We strongly condemn and reject the inflammatory and irresponsible remarks made by the Indian External Affairs Minister regarding Pakistan and PoK. These remarks are an obvious manifestation of India's utter frustration over the continued international censure of its egregious human rights violations in Kashmir," the statement said.

On Sunday night, Farooq Abdullah, the 81-year-old chief of the National Conference (NC), was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). He was under preventive detention at his house since August 5. Several other leaders were detained or arrested on the day and restrictions imposed on communication and movement of people in Jammu and Kashmir.

The government has maintained that the steps were taken to maintain law and order and prevent any loss of life. Restrictions have since been lifted in Jammu and Ladakh regions. The curbs have been eased in the Valley, though mobile and internet services are still suspended, according to officials.

Addressing his first press conference after assuming the office in the Modi 2.0 government in May, Jaishankar also hit out at Pakistan, saying India has a "unique challenge" from one neighbour, and it would remain a challenge until that neighbour becomes a normal neighbour, and acts against cross-border terrorism.

During his nearly 75-minute press interaction, the minister touched upon wide-ranging issues pertaining to country's foreign relations, including strategic ties and issues with the US, engagement with China, and New Delhi's status at the global stage.

He also made it clear that with Pakistan, the issue is not Article 370, the issue is cross-border terrorism and the first thing that has to come to table for any talks with Pakistan has to be the terrorism issue.

Asked about remarks by some Union ministers that henceforth talks with Pakistan would be only about Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and not on Kashmir, Jaishankar said, "Our position has, is and will always be very clear on PoK, that it is part of India and we expect one day we will have physical jurisdiction over it."

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu have made statements in this regard in the recent past after Pakistan sought to internationalise the Kashmir issue in the wake of abrogation of Article 370.

Amidst concerns expressed by some countries and the UN human rights organisation over situation in Kashmir, Jaishankar said international audience understands India's reasons for abrogating Article 370.

"It was a temporary provision which is not often used in the analysis of events...The provision had actually become dysfunctional. It was being arbitraged by some narrow set of people for their own gains. By doing so they were impeding development and feeding a sense of separatism. The separatism was being utilised by Pakistan to carry out cross-border terrorism," he said.

-Inputs from PTI