Pak has cleverly changed demographics of Pokiest: Gen Rawat

New Delhi, Nov 29: Pakistan has altered the demography of PoK and the identity of Kashmiris on that side has been systematically eroded, Army Chief Bipin Rawat has said. He disapproved of suggestions about sending back security forces "to barracks" whenever there is "a little bit of peace" in Kashmir, saying it will give terrorists time to revamp their networks and asserted that there was a need to maintain sustained pressure "to control the situation".

Rawat, who was delivering the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Lecture, also expressed concern over allowing funeral processions of terrorists, saying they glorify militants as martyrs and are "possibly encouraging more people to join the terrorist ranks".

Referring to PoK, Rawat said, "Pakistan has very cleverly changed the demography of so-called Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan. So, one is not very sure who is an actual Kashmiri."

"Is he is a Kashmiri or a Punjabi who has come in there and occupied that area. People from Gilgit-Baltistan are also now being taken over gradually. So, if there is an identity between our side of Kashmiri and the other side, then the identity thing has gradually been eroded. That is an issue we have to look at," the General also said.