Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday urged the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to join India, saying that the people of the country consider them to be their own.

At a rally in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban town ahead of Assembly elections, Singh cited an affidavit filed by Pakistan's additional attorney general before the Islamabad High Court on May 31. The affidavit had said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was “foreign territory”.

“I want to tell the people of PoK: the people of Pakistan consider you as foreigners, but Indians do not consider you as foreigners,” the defence minister said at the rally. “We consider you as our own people. So, come and join us.”

Singh claimed that the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would “see the development here and say that they no longer want to be with Pakistan”.

He also claimed that there had been a massive transformation in the Kashmir Valley after the abrogation of its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.

“Earlier, many young people in Kashmir would carry revolvers and pistols in their hands, but now they carry laptops and computers,” he said. “There has not been even a single incident of stone-pelting since 2022.”

At another rally in the town of Banihal in the Ramban district, Singh said that India is willing to hold talks with Pakistan only if it stops aiding terrorism.

“Who would not want to improve relations with their neighbouring countries?” the defence minister asked. “Because I know the reality that you can change friends, but not your neighbours. We want to have better relations [with Pakistan], but first, they must stop terrorism.”

The National Conference, in its manifesto for the Assembly elections, said it will push for dialogue between India and Pakistan on Kashmir.

Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will take place in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1. These will be the first Assembly polls in the Union territory after Article 370 was abrogated.

The results of the elections will be announced on October 8, along with those of the Haryana Assembly election.