NEW DELHI- While maintaining that both Northern and Western frontiers are equally important for India, Army chief General M.M. Naravane on Saturday said whenever government gives the go-ahead, his force is ready to take away Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK).
Making it clear that accordingly rebalancing of deployment of the forces and weapons are being carried out, the General commenting on Pakistan administered Kashmir said: “If Parliament wants that area should be taken we will definitely do so and action will be taken accordingly.”
The Indian Army chief’s comments came at the annual press conference,
where he said there was a parliamentary resolution that entire erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir is part of India. Whenever the government directs it will be done.
Naravane stressed: “If that be the mandate so be it.”
Last year in October, the then army chief and now the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat had said that the PaK territory is “illegally occupied” by Pakistan.
“The territory is not controlled by the Pakistani establishment, it is controlled by militants. Pakistan administered Kashmir is actually a militant controlled country or a militant controlled part of Pakistan,” Rawat stated.
In September 2019, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had said that PaK is a part of India. “We expect one day we will have physical jurisdiction over it,” he said.
On August 5, 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah had asserted in Lok Sabha that PaK and Aksai Chin are part of Jammu and Kashmir and that Kashmir Valley is an integral part of the country.
Moving a resolution for abrogating some provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019, Shah had said “Kashmir is an integral part of India, there is no doubt over it.
“When I talk about Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Aksai Chin are included in it,” he said.
On border issue with China, India have had several rounds of talks. General Naravane said their priorities are to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border. “We are conscious of the fact there are threats from the both side,” he said.
On his recent visit to Siachen, General Naravane said: “As far as land borders are concerned this is where (Siachen) the two countries — (China and Pakistan) are the closest. So the chance for collusivity is the most. Here and in Shaksgam valley.”
About the China border, he said: “We have to balance our requirement. On northern border we are going in for capacity building, roads, habitats, storage for weapons by moving advanced weapons towards eastern side.”
When Army Is Ready, Why Wait? Says Ajmer Dargah Head
Welcoming Army chief Gen M M Naravane’s statement on Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Saturday, the spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah said the force should be ordered to take back PaK.
“When the Army is prepared, why wait?” the dargah deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan said.
“The parliament should order the Army to take back PaK,” he tweeted.
He said the time has come for India to integrate PaK with itself and fulfil the dream of “Akhand Kashmir”.
Earlier Saturday, Gen Naravane said the Army can take the control of PaK if it gets orders from the political authority.
“As far as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is concerned, many years ago there was a parliamentary resolution on it that entire J and K is part of India. If Parliament wants that area should also belong to us and if we get orders to that effect, then definitely we will take action on it,” the Army chief said.
He was replying to a question on whether the Army was ready to reclaim PaK.
A resolution by Parliament in February 1994 stated that Pakistan must vacate the areas of Jammu and Kashmir, which it has occupied through aggression, and resolved that all attempts made by Islamabad to interfere in India’s internal affairs will be dealt with resolutely.
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