After years of selling the notion of an independent, separate, and "free Kashmir", Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday offered the people of Kashmir to either choose an independent Kashmir or Pakistan. 

Speaking at an event to mark the Kashmiri Solidarity Day, Imran Khan said he would allow Kashmiris to choose Pakistan or Kashmir even after they vote for Pakistan. The statement comes hours after he hinted at the possibility of engaging with India on the issue. 

“When the residents of Indian-occupied Kashmir, as well as Azad Kashmir, get the right to decide their future, and when the people of Kashmir will choose Pakistan InshAllah, then Pakistan will give Kashmiris the right to decide whether they want to become a part of Pakistan or remain independent." Khan was quoted as saying by Dawn. 

While the opposition in Pakistan, in a parallel event, came hard on Khan, accusing him of compromising the Kashmir cause. Opposition leader Mariyam Nawaz Sharif said “incompetent rulers” had no right to decide the fate of the people of Kashmir.

Pointing towards the failure of Khan’s government after the abrogation of Article 370 by India, the coalition of the ten opposition parties said Khan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra were on the same page on the issue. 

“The election in Kashmir is coming soon and people demand that this 'fake' prime minister return us the Kashmir that was before August 5, 2019, or else he should resign,” the opposition leader was quoted as saying by Dawn.