In a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir’s remarks on Kashmir, India on Thursday reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory of India, asserting that the only issue with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories.
Responding to Gen Munir’s statement that Kashmir is Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? This is a union territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country.”
General Munir made his comments during the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, reiterating Pakistan’s long-held position on Kashmir. “Our stance is absolutely clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein. We will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle,” he said.
The Pakistani army chief also invoked the two-nation theory, drawing a sharp distinction between Hindus and Muslims. “Our forefathers thought we are different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life—religion, customs, traditions, thoughts, and ambitions. That was the foundation of the two-nation theory,” he said.
He further urged Pakistani citizens to pass on the story of the nation’s founding to future generations. “You have to narrate Pakistan’s story to your children so they don’t forget it,” he added.
India has repeatedly maintained that Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, is an integral part of the country, and has rejected any third-party interference or claims made by Pakistan on the matter.