New Delhi

Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif has said that Prime  Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government was on the same page with the poll alliance of Congress and National Conference in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir on the issue of restoration of Article 370. 

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Asif claimed there was a high chance that the coalition comes to power as the elections kicked off in the UT on Wednesday (Sep 18). 

"They (the alliance) have made it an election issue. Pakistan and the National Conference-Congress alliance are on the same page in Jammu and Kashmir to restore Article 370 and 35A," Asif said in an interview with Geo News. 

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Led by the father-son duo of Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, NC has vowed to restore Article 370 while Congress has remained mum on the issue - not even mentioning it in its manifesto. However, since the grand old party has forged a coalition with NC, many believe that the party had given its tacit support to the revocation of Article 370 if elected to power. 

Watch | Explained: Kashmir question & Article 370 | Story from Kashmir accession to Parliament's integration

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Amit Shah slams Congress-NC, Pak defence minister 

Asif's comments instantly drew the ire of Indian Union Home Minister Amit Shah who trained guns on the Congress-NC alliance and called them out for carrying out Pakistan's bidding. 

“Pakistan’s defence minister’s statement about Congress and JKNC’s support on Article 370 and 35A has once again exposed Congress. This statement has once again made it clear that Congress and Pakistan have the same intentions and agenda," said Shah on X (formerly Twitter).  

"For the last few years, Rahul Gandhi has been standing with every anti-India force, hurting the sentiments of the countrymen," he added. 

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While BJP has been adamant on maintaining the status quo, the revocation of Article and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories has remained a prominent poll issue for NC. 

Apart from NC, Mehbooba Mufti's PDP has also promised to roll back the clock on the issue if it is voted to power. 

(With inputs from agencies)