Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee, part of the Indian all-party delegation visiting Malaysia led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, has stressed the need for India to engage in dialogue with Pakistan only on the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) issue.
Addressing the Indian diaspora in Kuala Lumpur, Banerjee said that the ruling government must ensure that future dialogues with Pakistan focus on reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He warned that unless this is addressed, Pakistan-sponsored terrorism will continue.
“I want to tell the ruling dispensation that if they want to engage in dialogue with Pakistan, we have to make sure that this time we engage in a dialogue where we only talk about reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Otherwise, this will continue,” ANI quoted Banerjee as saying.
Banerjee stressed the need to counter Pakistan’s attempts to destabilise India’s economy by ensuring Kashmir’s prosperity and growth.
“They were trying to pull the Indian economy down by inflicting this terrorist attack, it is incumbent upon us to do the opposite and make sure that Kashmir keeps flourishing and prospering. When you book a trip to India, make sure you extend the trip by at least 3-4 days and those 3-4 days should be solely dedicated to the people of Kashmir,” Banerjee said.
Banerjee pointed out that there is enough evidence present on social media showing high-ranking Pakistan military officials attending funerals of terrorists, underscoring Pakistan’s role in supporting terrorism.
“We are here with all the evidence…There are pictures all over social media, where high-ranking Pakistan military generals and high officials from the Pakistan army are attending the funeral of terrorists. What else can India offer the world as evidence?” he said.
Notably, Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist and Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, led funeral prayers for those who died during Operation Sindoor. Abdul Rauf has been linked to facilitating LeT’s operations, including the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed 166 people.
The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. This operation began in the early hours of May 7 and targeted nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), resulting in the deaths of more than 100 terrorists.
Banerjee is a member of the all-party parliamentary delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, which is presently visiting allied nations to reinforce India’s strong commitment against cross-border terrorism and its policy of zero tolerance.
The delegation includes BJP MPs Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi, and Aparajita Sarangi; Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M’s John Brittas; Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid; and Mohan Kumar.
