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J&K is incomplete without PoK, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir is incomplete without the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and lashed out at the Prime Minister of PoK, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq who recently called for “jihad” against India.

J&K is incomplete without PoK, says Rajnath Singh

Photo: SNS

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir is incomplete without the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and lashed out at the Prime Minister of PoK, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq who recently called for “jihad” against India.

The Defence Minister, who was addressing the ninth Armed Forces Veterans’ in the border area of Tanda in Akhnoor, blamed Pakistan for trying to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir and further said that efforts are underway to minimise the distance between the hearts of the people of J&K and Delhi.

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J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha; Chief Minister Omar Abdullah; Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan; Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar; other senior civil and military officers; Director, War Wounded Foundation; Director, Directorate of Indian Army Veterans; veterans and representatives of various ex-servicemen organisations attended the event.

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“PoK is nothing more than a foreign territory for Pakistan that is using its land to run the business of terrorism. Terrorist training camps are being run in PoK. Pakistan will have to destroy them otherwise…,” Rajnath Singh warned.

“The people living in PoK are being deprived of a dignified life. Efforts are being made by Pakistan to mislead and provoke them against India in the name of religion. PoK’s land is being used for terrorism. Training camps for terrorists are running and launch pads have been built in the areas adjacent to the border. The Indian government is well aware of the situation. Pakistan will have to put an end to its nefarious designs”, he said.

The Defence Minister said that 2025 is the diamond jubilee year of the 1965 Indo-Pak war, and India’s victory was the result of the valour and sacrifice of the Armed Forces. “Pakistan has lost every war it fought with India, whether it was the attack in 1948, the war of 1965, the war of 1971 or the Kargil war of 1999. Pakistan has been promoting illegal infiltration and terrorism since 1965 and has tried to influence the local population in J&K. But the people here have always rejected their intentions. Pakistan still resorts to terrorism. Even today, over 80 per cent of terrorists who come to India are from there. Terrorism would have ended in 1965 only, had the then government not turned the strategic advantages gained on the battlefield into disadvantages. The situation on ground has significantly improved since the abrogation of Article 370”.

Mr Rajnath Singh reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra saying that efforts were being made by the government to reduce ‘Dil ki duri and Delhi ki duri’ from Jammu and Kashmir. He also lauded Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his efforts and asserted that the BJP government treats Delhi and Kashmir equally. Taking a dig at the Congress, Singh said, “Kashmir was treated differently by previous governments as a result our brothers and sisters in the region could not get connected with Delhi as it should have been.

The Defence Minister hoisted a 108-foot national flag and inaugurated a heritage museum.

LG Manoj Sinha said soldiers protecting the borders are the guarantee of security and development of the nation. It is the collective responsibility of the society to take concrete measures for the welfare of soldiers and veterans.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the alertness of soldiers was the reason people sleep freely during the night. “You are the people who didn’t bother for tomorrow, you have given sacrifices throughout your service,” Omar said while referring to the services and sacrifices given by the Army veterans during their service.

“Now it is our turn to take care of yours. if we sleep during night it is because of your alertness at line of control. We have a strong belief that you are taking good care of the borders”, he added.

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