India strongly criticized Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s recent statement on Jammu and Kashmir. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday announced that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
It went on to add that the only connection Pakistan has with the territory is to leave the illegally occupied portion of it—PoK. Munir, while speaking at a function in Islamabad, referred to Kashmir as the “jugular vein” of Pakistan. India responded by asking how something “foreign” would be in the lifeblood of another nation.
MEA condemns Pakistan’s provocation
The MEA’s acerbic reaction followed Asim Munir’s address at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “This is a Union Territory of India. Its only connection with Pakistan is the vacating of illegally occupied areas.
In a sharp rebuttal to Pak Army Chief General Asim Munir’s remarks calling Kashmir Pakistan’s “jugular vein”, India asserted that the only link between Kashmir and Pakistan is Islamabad’s illegal occupation of part of the region that must be vacated.
What MEA Spokesperson… pic.twitter.com/lFHRkyTmK9
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He also mocked Asim Munir’s use of the phrase “jugular vein,” challenging the rationale behind referring to another country’s area as critical to your own.
Asim Munir revives Two-Nation Theory
General Asim Munir also rekindled the ideological underpinning of Pakistan—the two-nation theory in his address. He emphasized that Pakistan and India are totally different entities. In his view, Pakistanis need to instruct their children about how their ancestors thought they were inherently different from Hindus in all respects.
Asim Munir highlighted religious, cultural, and ideological differences, declaring, “We are not one nation.” He called on Pakistani families overseas to preserve the “story of Pakistan.”
India’s stand remains unwavering
India has always held the view that Jammu and Kashmir is a domestic issue. Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized as a Union Territory in 2019 after the revocation of Article 370. Ever since, India has spurned any third-party intervention and asserted strongly that Pakistan needs to vacate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Turning sentiment into strategy
Asim Munir’s comments could be a bid to revive nationalist fervor back home. As Pakistan struggles with economic instability and political upheaval, such declarations tend to be a diversion from internal unrest.
India has instead opted to counter with diplomacy and prudence. The MEA’s reaction is in step with its resolute stand—land integrity isn’t up for bargaining, and incendiary utterances won’t change the ground reality.
