18 August,2019 06:38 PM IST | Kalka | mid-day online correspondent
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at a Yatra in Kalka. Pic/ANI
Kalka (Haryana): During a public address after flagging off of the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' in Kalka, some 20 kms from Chandigarh, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that talks would be held with Pakistan only on Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). He said, "If talks are held with Pakistan, it will now be on PoK."
The Yatra is being held as a run-up before Haryana's upcoming Assembly elections. It will pass through the state's 90 Assembly seats and end with a rally in Rohtak on September 8.
The Yatra was also attended by BJP's state election-in-charge and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his Cabinet colleagues.
Rajnath Singh brought the topic of August 5 abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that accorded a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and said it was done for the development of the state.
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Rajnath Singh categorically said that neighbours (Pakistan) is knocking on the doors of the international community saying India made a mistake but talks with Pakistan will be held only if it stops supporting terror. News agency IANS reported that a few days ago Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan told his country that India was planning to take an action bigger than Balakot. "So Pakistan PM does acknowledge what India did in Balakot," he said.
In retaliation, Pakistan on Sunday attacked Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over his statement that any talk with Pakistan would only be on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying it is "reflective of the predicament that India finds itself in" after its Kashmir move. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a statement, also condemned the "indefensible lock-down" in Indian Jammu and Kashmir.
Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from IANS
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