Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir can decide through a referendum whether to join Pakistan or become a separate state.
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The conflict over Kashmir has continued between India and Pakistan since independence. Pakistan continues to claim Kashmir as its own country.
Part of Kashmir is under Pakistani control. Elections will be held tomorrow in this part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
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Opposition parties
Speaking at an election campaign meeting, Mariam Nawaz, leader of Pakistan's main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz faction, leveled sensational allegations that the Pakistani government had decided to change the status quo in Kashmir (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) and turn Kashmir into a state of Pakistan.
No plan
Speaking in retaliation, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said, "There is no plan to turn Kashmir (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) into a province of Pakistan. In fact, it is not clear how such talk even arose.
Pakistan or separate country
Following the UN-proposed referendum, the Pakistani government will again hold a referendum. In it they can decide whether to join Pakistan or become a separate country. I hope the people of Kashmir will be with us then, "he said.
UN project
The referendum in Kashmir should be held as per the plan proposed by the UN on the Kashmir issue. In it, the people of Kashmir can decide whether to join India or Pakistan. There is no plan for a separate state according to the UN plan. However he acknowledged that their numbers were not enough to defeat Pakistan's prime minister.
Central government
No official opinion has been released so far from the central government. But in the past, the central government has made it very clear that Kashmir is India's internal affair. When Article 360 was repealed, Pakistan sought to raise it in the UN. However, the Indian side has stated categorically that this is India's internal problem and that we have the power to resolve it.