‘Committed to bringing PoK back to India,’ Jaishankar declares, reiterates stance on Palestine
Follow UsStory highlights
Earlier on Sunday (May 5), the foreign minister declared that 'PoK' has "never been out" of India.
Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (May 8) said that the Narendra Modi administration was committed to bringing Pakistan-occupied Kashmir back to India. He was delivering remarks at Gargi College on Vishwa Bandhu Bharat. India's top diplomat also talked about how the Modi government scrapped Article 370 of the Indian Constitution even as people made starkly different assumptions.
"People just assumed that 370 (Article) can not be changed and this is something that we have to accept. Now once we change it, the entire ground situation changes,” he said.
“All I can say with respect to PoK, there is a parliament resolution, and every political party in the country is committed to ensuring that the POK which is part of India returns to India...,” he added. “But I do want to say one thing, I didn’t used to get people to ask us this 10 years ago or even 5 years ago. It is when we put 370 to rest, now people understand PoK is also important,” Jaishankar added.
Earlier on Sunday (May 5), the foreign minister declared that 'PoK' has "never been out" of India.
While responding to a question at an event in India's Odisha state, Jaishankar said, "PoK has never been out of this country. It is part of this country. There is a resolution of the Indian Parliament that PoK is very much a part of India.”
India's stance on the Palestine issue
S Jaishankar also took the opportunity to reiterate India's stance on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and the larger Palestinian issue.
Jaishankar made clear that New Delhi supported a homeland for the Palestinians and has been public about its stand.
"We were very clear when Israel was, on October 7, when the terrorists attacked Israel that this was terrorism. We took a clear stance on it. When Israel responded, we also took a position that, whenever any military response takes place, it is very important that civilian lives are protected. And if you are displacing civilians, so they are no longer in their homes, you have to give some kind of humanitarian corridor out there," Jaishankar said.
(With inputs from agencies)