PoK Belongs to Pakistan, Stop Talking Azadi: Farooq Abdullah Sparks Another Controversy

File photo of Srinagar MP and former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

New Delhi: Farooq Abdullah, Srinagar MP and National Conference supremo, has once again stirred a controversy, saying Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) belongs to Pakistan and those on Indian side should stop talking about “azadi”.

“Pakistan Administered Kashmir belongs to Pakistan and this side to India. I tell this to them, and to the world. This is not going to change. Let them fight how many wars they want to,” Abdullah told reporters on Saturday.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said Kashmir on Indian side needs more autonomy and those seeking ‘azadi’ are misguided.

“Internal autonomy is our right. They should restore it. Only then the peace will return,” he said on the sidelines of an event at National Conference headquarters in Srinagar.

Abdullah reminded the Centre about the Instrument of Accession that was signed between the Maharaja of Kashmir and the Government of India.

“You don’t remember the Instrument of Accession and claim the other side of Kashmir administered by Pakistan. If that side is ours, then you should talk about the accession too. Why do you forget the conditions on which we had acceded,” he said.

“There is nothing like freedom here. We are landlocked. On one side we have China, Pakistan and India on the other side. All three of them have atom bombs. We have nothing except Allah’s name. Those who are talking about Azadi are wrong,” he added.

Commenting on unrest in the Valley, Abdullah said that Kashmiris have been betrayed by India, and that India didn’t treat Kashmiris well. He said, “India betrayed us. They didn’t recognize the love with which we chose to join them. That is the reason behind the current situation in Kashmir.”