Khawaja Asif Defends Remarks on Azad Kashmir Crisis, Reaffirms Pakistan’s Commitment to Kashmir Cause
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has defended his recent remarks regarding the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), stating that his comments were honest, straightforward, and made in good faith.
In a statement issued from Islamabad, Asif said that individuals pursuing hidden and negative agendas were attempting to distort and misrepresent his remarks about the crisis in Azad Kashmir.
“My comments regarding the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir were candid and sincere,” he said, adding that no one could separate Kashmir from Pakistan or Pakistan from Kashmir.
The defence minister highlighted the sacrifices made by Kashmiris who migrated to Pakistan during the events of October 1947, saying their contributions remain an important part of history.
He also referred to the decades-long struggle in Indian-administered Kashmir against Indian rule, describing it as a story of sacrifices, martyrdoms, and imprisonment spanning 78 years.
Asif said Pakistan’s commitment to the Kashmir cause is reflected in the sacrifices of its martyrs and the blood shed in five wars. He added that Pakistan’s stance remains firmly rooted in the principle of the right to self-determination and a referendum in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
The minister stressed that voices emerging from Azad Kashmir that are influenced by external interests or negative agendas and are directed against Pakistan should be firmly challenged.
He noted that while some Kashmiris made sacrifices by migrating to Pakistan, others continue to bear the burden of the conflict in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Khawaja Asif further stated that the people of Azad Kashmir, who have lived in relative peace under Pakistan’s protection for decades, should acknowledge the sacrifices made by both the people of Indian-administered Kashmir and Kashmiri migrants.
He argued that undermining those sacrifices amounts to negating the Kashmir cause itself, adding that “Kashmiriyat” is not defined by birth certificates but by the struggle and sacrifices made over nearly eight decades by Kashmiris and Pakistanis alike.
