India on Thursday, April 17, firmly rejected remarks made by Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, who referred to Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein”. Responding at a press conference, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal asserted that Kashmir is an integral part of India, and the only connection Pakistan has with it is the need to vacate the region it illegally occupies.
“How can something foreign be considered a jugular vein?” Jaiswal said. “Kashmir is a Union Territory of India. The only link Pakistan has to it is the obligation to vacate the areas it has unlawfully occupied.”
General Munir, in an earlier address, claimed that Pakistanis represent a “superior ideology and culture”, and urged his audience to pass on Pakistan’s narrative to future generations. He invoked the two-nation theory, emphasizing ideological and cultural differences with India.
“Our forefathers believed we are fundamentally different from Hindus – in religion, customs, traditions, and goals. That belief laid the foundation of the two-nation theory,” Munir stated. On Kashmir, he added, “It was, is, and will remain our jugular vein. We will never abandon our Kashmiri brothers or their struggle.”
Commenting further, the MEA spokesperson referred to the extradition of Tahawwur Rana – an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks – as a stark reminder of Pakistan’s continued protection of terrorists.
“Despite all its efforts, Pakistan cannot shake off its image as the hub of global terrorism,” Jaiswal said. “The extradition of Rana serves as a reminder to Pakistan that it needs to bring to justice other perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, whom it continues to shield,” he added.
