During the 79th UN General Assembly, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar robustly responded to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, highlighting the urgent need to address the issue of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
In his address to the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar stated that the matter to be addressed between India and Pakistan now centers solely on the withdrawal of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan and the renunciation of its longstanding ties to terrorism.
This shift in focus signifies a noteworthy change, especially as even Islamic nations are moving away from Pakistan’s perspective on Kashmir. With increasing backing for the reintegration of PoK and strong commitments from Indian officials, it’s essential to devise an effective diplomatic strategy to reclaim this territory.
Expert Insights on PoK Integration
In an exclusive conversation, NewsX has gathered experts to provide their insights on the ongoing situation. Joining the discussion are Ambassador Suresh K. Goel, Former Diplomat; Gautam Mukherjee, Senior Journalist; Major Gen (R) Rajan Kochhar, Defense Expert; and Dr. Amjad Ayub Mirza, PoK Activist, with host Megha Sharma, Executive Editor.
Beginning the interview, Ambassador Suresh K. Goel gave his insights on what other actions can be taken to fully integrate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the delimitation exercise has been completed. On this, he said, “As far as the situation in terms of international law is concerned, the matter is under consideration of the United Nations. We need to promote and create other political processes through which there is a movement on part of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to come towards reintegration with the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. Now, that is a long-drawn process; it is not going to happen in a day or two.”
He also added, “There are complaints and there is dissatisfaction from PoK that their resources have been misused by Pakistan, and therefore they should have rights over water resources, electricity, power, agricultural resources, etc. There is hardly any development in the area in terms of industry. Therefore, if a move can come from people within PoK for integration, that would be the way to go about it in the real sense.” He emphasized that granting even a single seat to the people of PoK—regardless of whether it remains occupied—would send a strong message both to the international community and to the residents of PoK, affirming their inclusion in Indian political processes.
Perspectives from PoK Activists
Further in the discussion, Dr. Amjad Ayub Mirza expressed his thoughts on the issue and said, “I still demand that the Indian government should help us to organize a PoJK envoy that tours western countries, Africa, and South America where we can present our case, because at the moment globally, the case of Kashmir rejoining India is very weak because of the Pakistani propaganda. I think the world should listen to a Kashmiri from PoJK.”
Diplomatic vs. Military Solutions
Continuing the discussion, Major Gen (R) Rajan Kochhar provided insights into whether an all-out war is a viable option for India or if a diplomatic resolution would be more effective. He also examined the necessity of UN intervention versus the possibility of managing the situation independently and said, “The solution lies here on the diplomatic side, and the solution lies in projecting this issue to the United Nations, but most important is that the people of PoJK have to agree to that solution; they should want to separate themselves from Pakistan. Ultimately, it will be a political solution; it is not going to be either on the military or diplomatic front; it is the people of PoJK who are going to decide.”
The Viability of an Independent Azad Kashmir
Gautam Mukherjee opined on the potential for a state with a separate identity from Pakistan that would not become part of India. He expressed his thoughts on the possibility of creating a so-called “Azad Kashmir” and whether the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir wish to be governed by neither Pakistan nor India, and said, “I don’t think an independent Azad Kashmir could sustain itself. It has no economic viability; it is currently sustained by Pakistan and lacks the resources or ability to survive as an economic or military entity. Eventually, it is quite clear that it will have to merge with the Indian part of J&K and become one state, as was originally the case. The opportune time for that is coming because political instability in Pakistan is growing. Balochistan is trying to break away, other states are restive, and the people are starving. It is a matter of time before the political turbulence in Pakistan spins out of control. It is not true that the army will be able to hold it all together as time goes on because its resources will also be stretched.”
In summary, the discussion highlights the complexities surrounding Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the prospects for its integration with India. Experts emphasize the importance of diplomatic efforts, the need for local support in PoK, and the implications of Pakistan’s internal instability, suggesting that a political solution is essential for lasting peace in the region.
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WATCH THE FULL DISCUSSION BELOW:
