New Delhi

India on Thursday firmly rejected Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir’s remarks on Kashmir, stating that Jammu and Kashmir’s only connection with Pakistan is the expectation that Islamabad will vacate the territory it has illegally occupied.

Responding to Gen Munir’s comments — where he referred to Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein” and claimed it could never be separated from the country — New Delhi dismissed the rhetoric as baseless and reiterated that the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India."How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? This is a Union territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

On Pakistan's attempts to wash its hands off the 26/11 terror accused Tahawwur Rana, Jaiswal said: "Pakistan may try very hard but its reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism will not diminish."

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"The extradition of Rana serves as a reminder to Pakistan that it needs to bring to justice other perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks whom it continues to shield," he said.

Rana, 64, was brought to India on April 10 after all hurdles for his extradition were removed by the US.

A Canadian national of Pakistani origin, Rana is now in the custody of Indian investigating agencies.