Not only Kashmir, PoK is also part of India: Virbhadra Singh

Octogenarian Chief Minister said Baloch community in Balochistan was also subjected to atrocities, which should be avoided

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Saturday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments on atrocities on people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Balochistan in Pakistan.

"Not only Kashmir, PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) is also part of India," the Chief Minister told reporters here.

He said the people living in the so-called PoK were being forced to live in fear and the situation there was no better.

The octogenarian Chief Minister said the Baloch community in Balochistan was also subjected to atrocities, which should be avoided.

"The neighbouring country should adopt corrective measures and in no way should eye Indian territory," Virbhadra Singh said.

Modi on Friday said at the meeting of all major political parties that "Pakistan occupied Kashmir is ours", stating that dialogue must be initiated with expatriates all over the world from that region.

On protests in Gujarat over thrashing of Dalits, the Chief Minister said skinning of dead cows was an old profession being undertaken by the community since ages.

"We should rather respect the profession and give full honour to those who were involved in such profession," he said.

"As the skinning of cows and buffalos is associated with their profession which also helps them economically, such acts (of thrashing) are to be condemned," he added.