Return of stolen part of India will resolve Kashmir issue: Jaishankar’s response to Pak journo-OxBig News Network

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a reply to a question from a Pakistan journalist, has said that the complete resolution of the Kashmir issue would be achieved when Pakistan vacates Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

During a session at Chatham House in London on Wednesday night, Jaishankar responded to the question from Pakistan journo on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi could leverage his relationship with US President Donald Trump to “solve” the Kashmir issue.

“Removing Article 370 was step number one,” Jaishankar said, referring to the BJP government’s 2019 decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

“Then restoring growth and economic activity and social justice in Kashmir was step number two,” he said.

“Holding elections, which was done with a very high turnout, was step number three. I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under illegal occupation of Pakistan. When that’s done, I assure you, Kashmir is solved,” the minister said.

Chatham House chief executive Bronwen Maddox, who moderated the discussion, pointed out that several questions were being raised about Kashmir and human rights.

Earlier, the UK’s House of Commons had conducted a debate titled “Government support for human rights in Jammu and Kashmir”, led by Labour MP Sarah Smith.

When asked if the Indian government acknowledges any shortcomings in its human rights record, Jaishankar responded by saying that politically motivated campaigns had often targeted India on this issue.

“There can be situations which require redress and remedy,” he said, emphasising that India’s human rights record stood strong when compared globally.

“I think any sort of sweeping concern on human rights is really misplaced. I don’t see justification for it at all,” he added.

During the discussion, Jaishankar reiterated the importance of ensuring equal benefits for all Indian citizens — an argument he has previously used to defend the government’s human rights record.

He also said in some parts of the world, politics was driven by “creating” and “pandering to” identity-based narratives. He added that good governance focuses on “treating your citizens equally”.