Pakistan situation will not impact J&K: BJP

Srinagar, May 12 (PTI) The situation in Pakistan will not have any impact on Jammu and Kashmir, the J-K BJP said on Friday after some regional political parties expressed concern about the state of the affairs in the neighbouring nation and its ramifications.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti have expressed worries about the “dangerous” situation in Pakistan, claiming it will affect India.

Widespread protests broke out across Pakistan after the arrest of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan by the paramilitary Rangers, prompting the deployment of the army as well as in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

“Whatever the situation is in Pakistan, it will not have any impact on the situation of Jammu and Kashmir. Whatever Pakistan has done in the last 30 years, it will fall into its own pit,” BJP general secretary organisation, Jammu and Kashmir, Ashok Koul, said.

He also told reporters that the regional parties in the Union Territory are worried about Pakistan and had made statements that the worsening situation there would have an adverse impact on Jammu and Kashmir.

“They are just harping on their old tunes. as far as India’s stand on the relationship with Pakistan is concerned, it is as it was that unless they stop supporting militant activities, India cannot think about having dialogue with them,” Koul said.

On exit poll surveys for the Karnataka assembly elections giving an edge to the Congress over the BJP, Koul said winning or losing an election will not have any impact on his party. “Wherever elections are conducted, someone wins and someone loses. But, we believe that the BJP will come out as the number one party in Karnataka,” he said.

In the past, like in the cases of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the BJP leader said, it has been seen that exit poll surveys showed something but it did not happen.

“We believe in our work and determination, and we will come out as victorious. Winning or losing elections will not have any impact on the BJP,” he said.

To a question about the delay in assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Koul said the situation in the Union Territory is comparatively better than it was before the abrogation of article 370 in 2019.

He said that as far as assembly polls are concerned, the BJP is always ready for an election. “Those who are levelling allegations against the BJP, they are themselves losing ground, as you can see day in and day out people are changing parties,” Koul said.

“I have heard that the J-K’s chief electoral officer is preparing for panchayat and local body elections and maybe, assembly elections will be conducted along with these polls as the whole Election Commission machinery is busy with the preparations. The assembly elections will be announced anytime,” he claimed.

Koul said it cannot be said when assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir, but it could be held along with the panchayat polls or the parliamentary elections or even before.