Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has voiced concerns that the Modi administration may be planning to reinstate statehood for Jammu while keeping the union territory status for occupied Kashmir. He made these remarks while addressing a rally on Tuesday in Islamabad, held to mark Youm-e-Istehsal—the sixth anniversary of New Delhi’s revocation of the semi-autonomous status of India Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Dar referenced Indian media reports, stating, “On August 5, 2019, Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh were declared as a union territory, but now it is being said that Jammu will be granted statehood.” The deputy prime minister suggested that a decision on this matter might be announced within the next few hours or days.
He noted that, under the rumored plan, occupied Kashmir would remain a union territory. He labeled this potential move as “condemnable, unacceptable, and provocative.” Indian media outlets have claimed that the Indian president’s recent consecutive meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have fueled speculation that the government in New Delhi could begin the process of restoring the occupied region’s statehood. This development coincides with the Indian Supreme Court’s scheduled hearing on Friday (August 8) of an application that seeks directives for the central government to restore the IIOJK’s statehood. During today’s rally, Dar urged India to reverse all illegal actions taken on August 5, 2019, cease its oppressive measures in IIOJK, and end the media blackout in the region. He affirmed that Pakistan would continue to provide diplomatic, political, and moral support to the Kashmiri people until their fundamental right to self-determination is realized. He emphasized that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and its future cannot be determined by domestic laws or court decisions.
The foreign minister also restated that Pakistan believes in peaceful coexistence but its dedication to peace should not be misinterpreted as a weakness. He confirmed Islamabad’s desire for friendly relations with all neighboring countries and its preference for dialogue and diplomacy over confrontation. However, Dar cautioned that Pakistan’s armed forces and its people are fully capable of delivering a resolute response to any act of aggression, as was demonstrated during “Marka-e-Haq,” the term used by the Pakistan Army to describe the conflict period with India from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.
