Kashmir is 'emotional' for India, Khera tells Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif

Congress leader Pawan Khera hit back at Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif's UN comments on Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty. He also spoke about a proposed impeachment motion against the CEC over allegations of 'vote theft' and issues with electoral rolls.

Khera on Pak PM's UN Remarks

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday reacted to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remarks on Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty at the United Nations General Assembly, saying that the issue of Kashmir was "emotional" for India and that it made no difference what Sharif said on the issue.

Responding to an ANI question on Sharif calling Kashmir the "jugular vein" of Pakistan at the UN, Khera said, "Kashmir might be a political issue for them, but for us, it's an emotional one. For the BJP, Kashmir is just Kashmir, but for us, Kashmir also means the people of Kashmir. They live right in our hearts. So let's just leave it to Shehbaz Sharif to say whatever he wants to say. What difference does it make?"

On Pakistan's remarks that any attempt to stop or divert its share of Indus waters would be treated as an "act of war", Khera said, "What do you have to say about the act of war Pakistan has been carrying out against us for years? Now, Trump can invite Munir over for dinner, and they can praise each other. We should just focus on our own foreign policy and let others do whatever they want."

Shehbaz Sharif's UNGA Address

Sharif, addressing the UN General Assembly amid economic distress and domestic unrest at home, had claimed credit for a "success" in the May 2025 conflict with India and credited US President Donald Trump for a "timely intervention" in halting the confrontation — a claim India has repeatedly rejected, maintaining the ceasefire followed direct communication between the two militaries after India's Operation Sindoor strikes on terror infrastructure.

While India has made its stand of keeping the Indus Treaty in abeyance given Pakistan's open support to terror, a desperate Sharif claimed the decision was not legal and that the Indus River system was vital for Pakistan. "The shared waters of the Indus River system are the lifeblood not only for the people of Pakistan, but for the entire region. India's unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance has no legal basis whatsoever," he said.

"Water must never be weaponised. Rivers should nourish nations, not divide them. Therefore, any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan's share of the waters will be treated as an act of war. India must make no mistake about it," he added.

Faced by imminent protests over the continued detention of former Pak PM Imran Khan and an economy in doldrums, Sharif once again sought to internationalise the Kashmir issue. “But this requires a just and fair solution to the Kashmir dispute. For eight decades, the Kashmiri people have waited for the United Nations to fulfill its solemn commitment to a free and impartial plebiscite under its auspices. Generations have endured illegal occupation, arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance, sexual violence, and collective punishment,” he claimed.

India has repeatedly rejected Pakistan’s references to Jammu and Kashmir at the UN General Assembly and other United Nations platforms, maintaining that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of the country.

On CEC Impeachment Motion

Meanwhile, responding to a question on the proposed impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Khera said that clarity on the matter would emerge in the coming days. "In the coming days, you'll see some clarity on the impeachment. We'll make one more attempt on that topic, and I'll update you on it shortly. We'll get answers in the coming days," he said.

Khera alleged that the country was concerned over the issue of "vote theft" and claimed that governments were being formed through "theft and robbery". "Today, the whole country is worried about vote theft. They feel like the entire mandate is being stolen. Governments built on theft and robbery are in power," he said.

Asked about the possibility of support from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the motion, Khera said voices would emerge from different sections. "I told you that people from the NDA are also getting involved. Voices will rise from within the BJP too, saying that whoever cares about the country, about our democracy, won't back down—they'll step forward," he added.

The Opposition parties have intensified their criticism of the Election Commission following reports over the functioning of the poll body and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls.

The controversy escalated after The Indian Express report said that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding decisions and procedures linked to the SIR process.

The Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Left parties have demanded accountability from the Election Commission. Congress workers also staged demonstrations across several states against the functioning of the poll body and its handling of the SIR exercise.

The BJP has rejected the Opposition's allegations, calling them attempts to divert attention from electoral defeats.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has maintained that internal notes, written queries and suggestions are part of the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body and asserted that all final decisions related to the SIR exercise were taken unanimously. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)