ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a clear and uncompromising statement via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, defending his recent remarks regarding the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) crisis as blunt, honest, and well-intentioned.
The Defence Minister firmly criticized malicious actors with hidden, hostile agendas for deliberately twisting his words.
“These elements can never detach Kashmir from Pakistan, nor can they sever Pakistan’s deep-rooted bond with Kashmir,” Asif asserted.
Honoring the historical sacrifices of the Kashmiri people, the minister emphasized that the historic struggle of those who migrated to Pakistan in October 1947 remains indelibly etched in history.
Furthermore, the 78-year-long struggle against illegal Indian occupation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) stands as a profound testament of relentless sacrifices, martyrdoms, and unjust imprisonments.
Khawaja Asif reiterated that Pakistan’s absolute commitment to the Kashmir cause is sanctified by the sacred blood of its martyrs shed across five wars.
This enduring stance remains firmly anchored in the foundational principle of the right to self-determination and an independent referendum, strictly in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
Addressing the recent internal friction, the Defence Minister declared that any foreign-funded or malicious anti-Pakistan rhetoric emerging from AJK must be countered with absolute severity.
He urged those living peacefully in AJK under the steadfast protection of Pakistani soldiers to acknowledge the immense hardships endured by the refugees and the oppressed population of IIOJK, noting that undermining these sacrifices amounts to a direct negation of the Kashmir cause itself.
Concluding his statement, Khawaja Asif emphasized that true “Kashmiriyat” is defined neither by simple birth certificates nor geography, but by nearly eight decades of unyielding struggle and monumental sacrifices shared collectively by Kashmiris and Pakistanis alike.
