Jaishankar's Bold Kashmir Statement in London Leaves Pakistan Furious
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's remarks on Kashmir during his London visit spark anger in Pakistan. Jaishankar calls for the return of the illegally occupied part of Kashmir, promising that this will resolve the issue once and for all.

India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, is currently on a visit to London, where he made a significant statement about Kashmir. Following his remarks, Pakistan reacted strongly.
During a session at the Chatham House think tank in London on Wednesday, Jaishankar addressed the Kashmir issue, stating that the resolution would only come after the return of the part of Kashmir that was illegally occupied by Pakistan. His statement caused an uproar in Pakistan.
Pakistan's Reaction
Following Jaishankar’s comments, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, dismissed his remarks during a weekly press briefing. Khan urged India to vacate the portion of Kashmir it controls, referring to the region as Jammu and Kashmir, which Pakistan claims. He said, "We reject the baseless claims made by India's External Affairs Minister regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of making these claims, India should vacate the large area of Jammu and Kashmir it has occupied for the past 77 years."
Jaishankar on the "Return of the Stolen Part"
While on his visit to the UK, Jaishankar further explained his views at the Chatham House event. He emphasized that the first step towards resolving the Kashmir issue was the removal of Article 370, which had granted special status to the region. The second step, he mentioned, was restoring development, economic activities, and social justice in Kashmir. Lastly, the third step was conducting free and fair elections with high voter turnout.
Answering a question from the audience about the "solution" to the Kashmir issue, Jaishankar said, "What we are waiting for is the return of the part of Kashmir that was taken, which is under Pakistan’s illegal occupation. Once that happens, I assure you, the Kashmir issue will be resolved." India has repeatedly stated that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and will always remain so.