In response to India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s controversial comments on Azad Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah has warned the Indian minister against underestimating Pakistan’s capabilities.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Rajnath Singh in a media interview in New Delhi repeated old rhetoric on Azad Kashmir, claiming that India would not resort to force to reclaim Azad Jammu and Kashmir, but boasted that spurred by the development and progress in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, AJK inhabitants would themselves desire to join India. Singh’s comments drew a sharp response from National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah. Abdullah cautioned that Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons and suggested that any attempt to reclaim Azad Kashmir could escalate tensions with dire consequences. “Remember, they (Pakistan) are also not wearing bangles. It has atom bombs, and unfortunately, that atom bomb will fall on us,” Abdullah asserted. Abdullah further criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the prevailing security situation in occupied Kashmir, attributing continued unrest to the unresolved tensions between India and Pakistan. He advocated for dialogue between the two nations to address underlying issues.—KMS
