E-Paper
Rajnath Singh says PoK residents part of India: 'One day they'll join us'
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will return to India, emphasizing shared identity.
In a strong and emotionally charged message to the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday declared that the day is not far when PoK will return to India voluntarily, driven by a sense of shared identity and belonging.
Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Business Summit in the national capital, Singh reaffirmed India’s unwavering commitment to national unity and asserted that those living in PoK are an integral part of the Indian family.
“I believe that the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are our own, part of our family,” Singh said. “We have full faith that those of our brothers who are geographically and politically separated from us today will also return to the mainstream of India someday, listening to their voice of soul.”
The Defence Minister’s remarks come in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In the Operation, India targeted terror infrastructure and airbases deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Singh used the occasion not only to highlight India’s military strength but also to emphasize a more humanistic and inclusive vision for PoK.
“India always talks about connecting hearts, and we believe that by walking on the path of love, unity and truth, the day is not far when our own part, PoK, will return and say, ‘I am India, I have returned’,” Singh said.
He noted that most of the population in PoK shares a “deep connection” with India, adding that only a small minority have been misled. Singh’s outreach signals a shift from solely territorial rhetoric to one that acknowledges the emotional and cultural ties between the people of India and PoK.
Outlining a recalibrated policy towards Pakistan, the Defence Minister made it clear that future dialogue with Islamabad will only focus on two issues: terrorism and PoK.
“We have redesigned and redefined India’s response to terrorism. We will talk to Pakistan only about PoK and terrorism—nothing else,” Singh said. “The business of terrorism is not cost effective. Pakistan has now realized that it comes at a heavy price.”
