'Vacate Indian Territory': MEA's Sharp Reply To Pakistan's J&K Remarks After PM Modi's Podcast

Last Updated:March 18, 2025, 20:15 IST

The MEA said that Pakistan’s statements on PoK are not welcome since it illegally occupies the area while sponsoring terror to destabilise the region.

PM Modi Podcast Key Points: PM Modi appears in podcast with Lex Fridman (Photo: X/Lex Fridman)

India on Tuesday told Pakistan to vacate the area it illegally has occupied in Kashmir, also known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), after officials there passed remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s views on the situation which he discussed with famous podcaster Lex Fridman in an episode.

“Instead of spreading lies, Pakistan should vacate Indian territory under its illegal and forcible occupation," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.

Pakistan had objected to PM Modi’s remarks that every attempt to restore peace between the neighbours was met with hostility and betrayal and claimed that they were “misleading and one-sided". In a statement, the country’s foreign office also mentioned Kashmir, in another act of provocation.

“We note that Pakistan has once again made some comments about the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The world knows that the real issue is Pakistan’s active promotion and sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. In fact this is the biggest roadblock to peace and security in the region," Jaiswal said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman on Friday, spoke about India-Pakistan tensions. He said the issue was not due to ideological differences but due to the neighbour’s “terrorist mindset".

He added that Pakistan has become a global hub of unrest, affecting not just India but the entire world.

“Don’t mistake this for ideology. What kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror, and we are not the sole victims of this menace. Wherever terror strikes in the world, the trail somehow leads to Pakistan. Let’s take the September 11th attacks, for example. The main mastermind behind it, Osama bin Laden, where did he eventually emerge from? He had taken refuge in Pakistan," PM Modi said.

“The world has recognised that in a way terrorism and the terrorist mindset are deeply rooted in Pakistan".

“We have repeatedly asked them what good can come from this path? We have urged them to abandon the path of state-sponsored terrorism for good, “What do you hope to gain by surrendering your nation to lawless forces?" I even personally traveled to Lahore in the pursuit of peace," he said, referring to his visit to Lahore in 2015.

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