Ready to take PoK: Army Chief Naravane
January 11,2020While maintaining that both Northern and Western frontiers are equally
important for India, Army chief General M.M. Naravane on Saturday said
whenever government gives the go-ahead, his force is ready to take away
Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
Making it clear that accordingly
rebalancing of deployment of the forces and weapons are being carried
out, the General commenting on Pakistan occupied Kashmir said: "If
Parliament wants that area should be taken we will definitely do so and
action will be taken accordingly."
The Indian Army chief's
comments came at the annual press conference, where he said there was a
parliamentary resolution that entire erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir is part
of India. Whenever the government directs it will be done.
Naravane stressed: "If that be the mandate so be it."
Last
year in October, the then army chief and now the country's first Chief
of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat had said that the PoK territory is
illegally occupied by Pakistan.
"The territory is not controlled
by the Pakistani establishment, it is controlled by terrorists.
Pakistan administered Kashmir is actually a terrorist controlled country
or a terrorist controlled part of Pakistan," Rawat stated.
In
September 2019, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had said that
PoK is a part of India. "We expect one day we will have physical
jurisdiction over it," he said.
On August 5, 2019, Home Minister
Amit Shah had asserted in Lok Sabha that PoK and Aksai Chin are part of
Jammu and Kashmir and that Kashmir Valley is an integral part of the
country.
Moving a resolution for abrogating some provisions of
Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019, Shah had
said "Kashmir is an integral part of India, there is no doubt over it.
"When I talk about Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Aksai Chin are included in it," he said.
On
border issue with China, India have had several rounds of talks.
General Naravane said their priorities are to maintain peace and
tranquility on the border. "We are conscious of the fact there are
threats from the both side," he said.
On his recent visit to
Siachen, General Naravane said: "As far as land borders are concerned
this is where (Siachen) the two countries -- (China and Pakistan) are
the closest. So the chance for collusivity is the most. Here and in
Shaksgam valley."
About the China border, he said: "We have to
balance our requirement. On northern border we are going in for capacity
building, roads, habitats, storage for weapons by moving advanced
weapons towards eastern side."