Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has strongly refuted the recent statements made by India’s Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), labeling them as “baseless claims” and calling on India to vacate the areas it has occupied in the region for over 77 years.

Jaishankar, speaking at Chatham House in London on March 5, 2025, claimed that the Kashmir dispute would only be resolved when the “stolen part of Kashmir,” referring to AJK, is returned, accusing Pakistan of illegal occupation. His remarks were made in response to a question regarding India’s illegal occupation of Kashmir and the possibility of the US mediating in the conflict.

In a rebuttal during a press briefing, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan emphasized that India should focus on vacating the occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir rather than making unfounded claims. He reminded India that Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory, with the final status to be determined by a UN-supervised plebiscite as outlined in UN Security Council resolutions.

Khan also criticized India’s use of electoral processes in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) as a means to resolve the conflict, asserting that these elections cannot replace the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. He further rejected India’s economic efforts in the region as ineffective in addressing the deeper grievances of the Kashmiri population, particularly when enforced through military presence.

The FO reiterated Pakistan’s stance that a peaceful and lasting solution to the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with international law and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, is crucial for peace in South Asia. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his February 5 speech to the AJK Legislative Assembly, reiterated Pakistan’s offer to engage in dialogue with India to resolve the Kashmir issue, while emphasizing the country’s readiness to defend its national interests.