Death toll in Pakistan due to Op. Sindoor rises to 160 ::::::: Congress may be furious yet again; Salman Khurshid says in Indonesia that abrogation of Article 370 put an end to 'perception' that Jammu & Kashmir was a separate entity

"Kashmir had a major problem for a long time. Much of that was reflected in the thinking of the government in an Article called 370 of the Constitution, which somehow gave an impression that it was separate from the rest of the country," Congress leader Salman Khurshid. 

"But Article 370 was abrogated and it was finally put to an end," he said interacting with a delegation in Indonesia. 

According to former External Affairs Minister, the BJP-led central government's decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status in August 2019 has led to positive changes and increased prosperity in the region.

"Subsequently, there was an election in 65 per cent participation in election. There's an elected government in Kashmir today and therefore for people to want to undo everything that has happened, the prosperity that has come to Kashmir," he added.

Khurshid was addressing members of Indonesian think tanks and academia.

Khurshid is part of an all-party delegation led by JD (U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, which is visiting Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore to brief the countries on Operation Sindoor and India’s position on regional security dynamics.

The Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government, in which the Congress is an ally, introduced a resolution in the Assembly to restore Article 370 shortly after taking office in September last year. 

The BJP strongly opposed the move, asserting that Article 370 would not be reinstated, even if Indira Gandhi were to return from heaven.

The Congress party, which had initially opposed the move, later acknowledged that the debate over the abrogation of Article 370 is legally settled following the Supreme Court's ruling, which upheld the central government's decision. 

The party has said that the matter is now 'closed' from a constitutional standpoint. 

'Operation Sindoor' deaths in Pakistan rise to 160 :::: Pakistan called India twice for ceasefire 

Pakistan reached out to India twice seeking a cessation of hostilities, including a formal message from its Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on the evening of May 7, a day after Indian armed forces demolished nine terror hubs under Operation Sindoor, top sources told 'India Today'.

However, according to those privy to the exchange, Islamabad's sincerity was suspect, as the appeals for peace were accompanied by renewed attacks on Indian military facilities.

After three more days of intense cross-border military actions from both sides, a DGMO-level conversation took place on May 10 at 3:35 PM, during which India and Pakistan negotiated a ceasefire understanding. 

And as External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said - "US was in the United States".  

Sources said more than 160 individuals—terrorists, their aides and Pakistani military personnel—were killed in the cross-border precision strikes.

This includes over 20 people in Bahawalpur, the stronghold of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed. Many of those killed in Bahawalpur are said to be relatives of JeM chief Masood Azhar.

Pakistani armed forces also suffered significant losses, with estimates suggesting between 35 to 40 personnel killed. However, Pakistan has officially acknowledged only 11 military fatalities and 78 wounded.