New Delhi, April 17: — India on Thursday dismissed Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir’s assertion that Kashmir is the country’s “jugular vein,” stating that Islamabad’s only connection with Jammu and Kashmir lies in vacating the territory it continues to occupy illegally.
“This (Jammu and Kashmir) is a Union Territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by the country,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a media briefing.
Jaiswal’s remarks came in response to General Munir’s recent comments made while addressing overseas Pakistanis, where he claimed that Kashmir “is and will remain” Pakistan’s jugular vein and vowed never to forget it. Munir also defended the two-nation theory that led to the Partition in 1947, asserting that “India and Pakistan are two nations. We are not one nation.”
“Our forefathers and we have sacrificed a lot for the creation of this country,” Munir said. “We know how to defend it.”
He also sought to reassure concerns about Pakistan’s security situation affecting foreign investments, pushing back against the notion that terrorism would determine the country’s future. “Do you think terrorists can take away the destiny of the country? The 1.3 million-strong Indian Army, with all its wherewithal—if they cannot intimidate us—do you think these terrorists can subdue the armed forces of Pakistan?” he asked.
The MEA’s firm response underscores India’s long-standing position that the entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including parts occupied by Pakistan, remains an integral part of the country.
