‘Azad Kashmir part of India, will have control one day’

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Azad Kashmir) has always been part of India and someday the country will have “physical jurisdiction” over it.

“Our position on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir has always been and will always be very clear. PoK is part of India and we expect one day that we will have the physical jurisdiction over it,” Jaishankar told a news conference.”

Jaishankar said revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special rights under Article 370 was India’s internal matter and that the only issue to discuss with Pakistan was an end to cross-border terrorism from that country.

The Centre scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status last month and split it into two union territories. It also imposed a communication blackout and a security lockdown that has only recently been eased.

India’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status had infuriated Pakistan which accused New Delhi of human rights violations at the UNHRC meet in Geneva last week. _Agencies

Dhaka/AKA