'J&K's only relation with Pakistan is vacation of illegally occupied territories': India on Pak army chief's comments

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday responded firmly to the "two-nation" comment made by Pakistan saying that the only relationship the neighbouring nation had was "vacation of the illegally occupied territories by that country."
"How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? This is a Union Territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country," ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, on Wednesday had voiced support for the "two-nation theory" that underpinned the creation of Pakistan, highlighting what he described as fundamental differences between Hindus and Muslims in all facets of life.
Also read: Pakistan army chief backs 'two-nation theory', says Hindu-Muslim different in every possible aspect
“You have to narrate Pakistan’s story to your children so that they don’t forget it when our forefathers thought we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life," Munir said.
The comment attracted strong reactions from India with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma saying, ''The delineation is clear; our paths are divergent. It is now incumbent upon us to fortify our nation, uphold our dharma, and cherish our civilisational values. By doing so, we can ensure that our nation's stature and influence ascend to unparalleled heights".

The MEA slammed Pakistan for being an "epicenter of global terrorism" and called upon the nation to "bring to justice other perpetrators of Mumbai attacks".
"Pakistan may try very hard, but its reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism will not diminish," Jaiswal said.
"The extradition of Rana serves as a reminder to Pakistan that it needs to bring to justice other perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, whom it continues to shield...," he added.

Tahawwur Rana was extradited this month from the US and is being interrogated by National Investigation Agency (NIA) over his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The NIA suspects that Rana could offer key insights into reconnaissance missions conducted in several Indian cities prior to the 2008 attacks, as well as his interactions with members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror organization. Authorities are also probing possible connections between Rana and high-ranking members of groups like LeT and Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HuJI), in addition to potential involvement of officials from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.