'Who is stopping you': Omar on Jaishankar's PoK remarks

Jaishankar, speaking in London, said the Kashmir dispute will be solved with "return of the stolen part of Kashmir which is under illegal Pakistani occupation"

- Mir Ehsan

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister (CM) Omar Abdullah on Thursday said they would be grateful to the BJP-led government if alongside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) it also retrieves the part of the Union Territory (UT) under illegal occupation of China.

He was reacting to Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar's recent remarks. Speaking during a session at the Chatham House think-tank in London on Wednesday, Jaishankar said the Kashmir dispute would be solved after the "return of the stolen part of Kashmir which is under illegal Pakistani occupation".

"The foreign minister (S Jaishankar) is saying that we will get back the part of J&K which is under the occupation of Pakistan. Who has stopped them? Have we ever said that do not get it back?" the CM said. Omar further said, "Foreign minister has said that they will bring back the portion of Kashmir (controlled by Pakistan). Did we ever stop them? If you (Central govt) can bring it back, then do it now. One portion is with Pakistan, but another portion is with China, why doesn't anyone talk about that?...