Khawaja Asif Says He Never Claimed Rawalakot Residents Are Not Kashmiris

Pakistan’s Defence Minister **Khawaja Asif** has said he never claimed that the people of **Rawalakot** were not Kashmiris, adding that pro-Pakistan slogans continue to be raised in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Addressing a public gathering in **Sialkot**, Khawaja Asif said his party would not allow the reserved seats for Kashmiri migrants to be abolished, describing displaced Kashmiris as the true heirs of Kashmir.

He reiterated that he had never stated that the people of Rawalakot were not Kashmiris and claimed that slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” are still being raised in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The defence minister also accused the **Action Committee** of promoting violence, saying its demands had already been accepted in the past. He claimed the committee had previously received between **Rs24 billion and Rs25 billion**, and alleged that it was operating with suspicious foreign funding.

Khawaja Asif further expressed confidence that the **Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)** would form the next government in **Azad Jammu and Kashmir**.

> **Note:** The allegations regarding the Action Committee and foreign funding are claims made by Khawaja Asif and have not been independently verified.