India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar speaks at a news conference in New York on Saturday, September 24, 2022. (Photo: Arul Louis/IANS)
S. Jaishankar emphasized that the significant development in Jammu and Kashmir over recent years has undoubtedly caught the attention of the people in PoK, influencing them….reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Thursday said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an inseparable part of the country that will eventually come back to India.
Reacting to the growing unrest and continued violence that is taking place in PoK, he said that there is no doubt that people in PoK have been watching and getting affected with the massive development that has been taking place in Jammu and Kashmir over the last few years.
“People in PoK are seeing the positive changes across the Line of Control and they are asking themselves that if things are like that, then why are we suffering and why are we accepting this kind of mistreatment? So, they are undoubtedly getting affected by all this. We would love to see where this goes,” said EAM Jaishankar while speaking at ‘Vishwabandhu Bharat’ interaction in Nashik, Maharashtra.
Complete chaos prevails in PoK’s Muzaffarabad which has been rocked by violent protests as the locals, fed up with the rising inflation and high electricity bills, continue to clash with police over the past many days.
“PoK is a different category because eventually PoK is India and it will come back to India, I don’t think we should ever have any doubt about it. Pakistan has a lot of other problems, including in Balochistan and various other parts as well,” commented the EAM.
Pakistan’s economic woes too continue to dampen its credibility amid fears of a complete meltdown, he said.
“They also have severe economic problems right now. Whether they do the right reforms, and whether they take the right policies… Because, this policy of continuously going against India, today has brought Pakistan down to where it is. We have to see whether there is any change in thinking there,” stated Jaishankar.
Earlier this week, while addressing a campaign rally in Palghar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also made it clear that “PoK was, is, and will continue to be an integral part of India” and no power can challenge this position.
On Saturday, a complete wheel-jam shutter-down strike was observed across PoK with a call for a rally towards Muzaffarbaad, reports Hamza Ameer
A two-day holiday has been declared in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) after a violent confrontation between the local police authorities and the protesters, who took to the streets against what they termed unjust taxes levied on electricity bills and towering inflation.
The protest, called in by Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee aka People’s Action Committee, announced for Friday and Saturday has been met with an aggressive response from the police, which resorted to a crackdown and arrests of protesters and their leaders, further inflaming the already angry protestors.
On Friday, violent scenes of angry protests were witnessed involving stone pelting and fierce tear gas shelling.
On Saturday, a complete wheel-jam shutter-down strike was observed across PoK with a call for a rally towards Muzaffarbaad, where the legislative government and its assembly are based.
“There is going to be a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike observed across PoK and specifically in Muzaffarabad against the police brutality against our peaceful protestors in Dadyal on Friday,” said Saukat Nawaz Mir, Chairman Traders Association Muzaffarabad and member of the Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee.
“I call on everyone to come out today and raise your voice for your rights,” he added as videos of locals demanding freedom from the Pakistani establishment went viral on social media.
It is pertinent to mention here that the People’s Action Committee of Kashmir has been staging protests against the government’s policies of imposing taxes, rising inflation and electricity outages through shutter-down protests and rallies. The committee staged a similar protest last August as well.
“We reject imposition of taxes on electricity bills. Instead, we demand that electricity should be provided to consumers in accordance with the production cost of hydel power in the region,” said Shaukat Nawaz Mir.
An agreement was reached and a notification on the same was also issued in February by the government but the committee again announced its protest this month against non-fulfillment of the written commitments given by the government.
“Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee’s call for protest and a long march towards Muzaffarabad has been responded to actively and positively by the people. All businesses including banks and markets are closed. Traffic and vendors are also off the roads in at least three districts of Muzaffarabad,” said a local resident.
Shaukat Nawaz Mir said that police resorting to tear gas shelling has badly affected people and the move will not stop the people from demanding their rights.
Talking about the economic condition of the country, the political leader said that” nothing can be said about the country’s economic condition with surety….reports Asian Lite News
An exiled political activist from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has shown his anger and resentment at the degrading economic and political situation in Pakistan and its occupied territories of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan.
In an interaction with Mirza Shafiq Aleem, a citizen journalist, the Chairman of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, raised concerns over the atrocities and torture committed against the people who dare to stand against the Pakistani regime.
While explaining the situation Kashmiri narrated an incident when security forces used force against the peaceful protestors. He said, “There has never been a rule of law in Pakistan. Sometime back, the members of UKPNP were joined by several Baloch women who protested against the atrocities inflicted upon them by the Pakistani regime. At that time, the police forcefully snatched away their blankets amid peak harsh winters, and anyone who tried to help the protestors was stopped and threatened. All this was not happening on the outskirts of Balochistan. It took place in the middle of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, and the whole world was watching silently.”
Recalling his own case of torture at the hands of Pakistan’s administration, Kashmiri said, ” I myself have suffered through these atrocities, and I know about the hardships that the family of any abductee has to go through. Every day for them is very difficult. It is quite possible that abductions of people by the authorities may happen in other countries too, but the level at which this happens in Pakistan is a different story. And till the time these heinous acts are not stopped, expecting justice, peace, and democracy in Pakistan is not sensible”.
Talking about the economic condition of the country, the political leader said that” nothing can be said about the country’s economic condition with surety. Pakistan is surviving because of financial help from the World Bank. And if just one tranche of this bailout package gets late, the country’s economic condition gets worse than it already is in Pakistan.”.
“On the other side, there is also an elite class in Pakistan that has every luxury imaginable at their disposal. These elite classes keep getting richer by the day, and the provinces that have no production capacity and contribute nothing to the GDP of the country get the majority of the bailout packages received from the World Bank. The common man becomes even poorer and is not able to afford even the most basic of necessities, like most essential medicines. In such conditions, hoping for a miracle that will improve the condition overnight is not possible” according to the political activist. (ANI)
British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott visited Mirpur city in the PoK region along with an official of the UK Foreign Office.
Terming the visit by the British High Commissioner in Islamabad, Jane Marriott, to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as “highly objectionable”, India has registered a ‘strong protest’ with the British High Commissioner in India.
This comes after British envoy Jane Marriott visited Mirpur city in the PoK region along with an official of the UK Foreign Office.
“India has taken a serious note of the highly objectionable visit of the British High Commissioner in Islamabad, along with a UK Foreign Office official, to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on 10 January 2024,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.
“Such infringement of India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unacceptable,” it added.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has lodged a strong protest with the British High Commissioner in India on this ‘infringement’.
The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “have been and shall always remain an integral part of India,” MEA added.
In October last year, the US envoy to Pakistan, Donald Blome, visited the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir region.
New Delhi conveyed to Washington its ‘strong objection’ to the visit and urged the international community to respect its “sovereignty and territorial integrity”. (ANI)
Arif Aajikia highlighted the alarming situation in PoK, emphasising the lack of progress and prosperity compared to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir…reports Asian Lite News
Arif Aajikia, a former member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and a human rights activist based in Karachi, Pakistan, highlighted the critical issues in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
He specifically discussed the deterioration of human rights in the region, emphasizing the decline in cultural, linguistic, and heritage elements.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Aajikia said, “The biggest thing in human rights is your culture, your food, your dress, your language, your heritage, which is being killed in PoK.”
He also highlighted the alarming situation in PoK, emphasising the lack of progress and prosperity compared to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. According to him, the disparity becomes evident through social media, where people in PoK witness the advancements and well-being in Jammu and Kashmir, questioning why their region lags behind.
“People in PoK, when they see the progress and prosperity in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, they start thinking that we are also the same people; we were also once part of Kashmir. Why is there no progress or prosperity in PoK? Why is there no prosperity in Gilgit Baltistan?” the rights activist said.
A vehicle drives past campaign flags of different political parties ahead of the legislative assembly elections in the city of Gilgit, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, November 9, 2020. Picture taken November 9, 2020. REUTERS/Umer Farooq – RC2A2K91T5S4
Despite providing electricity to Punjab province in Pakistan, residents of PoK face prolonged load shedding, receiving some of the most expensive electricity rates despite being the producers. “People of PoK, they provide electricity to Punjab province of Pakistan. Yet they have 16 hours and 12 hours of load shedding. Most expensive electricity is provided to people of PoK while they are the producer of the electricity,” he noted.
Aajikia also pointed out the paradox of supplying water to the entire country (Pak) while PoK’s women endure hardships fetching water.
Aajikia compared the demographic changes, noting the preservation of Kashmiri identity in Srinagar in contrast to Muzzafarabad, where Punjabi influence dominates.
“If you go to Srinagar, you will find people wearing Kashmiri dresses, eating Kashmiri food, and speaking Kashmiri. If you go to Muzzafarabad, you will see that 90 per cent of people are speaking Punjabi, 90 per cent of people do not wear Kashmiri dresses,” he said, noting the destruction of culture in PoK.
Aajikia also raised concerns about the lack of educational institutions, including universities, colleges, dental colleges, and medical colleges; inadequate infrastructure such as roads and highways; and the absence of employment opportunities in PoK. Protests across the region reflect the discontent among the populace.
Regarding Article 370, Aajikia stated that it is an internal matter of India and that no external interference is warranted. He underscored that the unresolved issue lies in PoK and Gilgit Baltistan, occupied by Pakistan. Aajikia questioned Pakistan’s actions in 1947 when it attacked Kashmir, asserting that those involved were not Mujahids but terrorists, engaging in atrocities against Kashmiri women.
“When Pakistan attacked Kashmir, they were not Mujahids; they were terrorists because they were raping Kashmiri women. Kashmiri women were sold in bazaars in Rawalpindi and Peshawar by Pakistanis,” the activist said.
In his legal perspective, Aajikia emphasised that the only unresolved issues pertain to the lands occupied by Pakistan and China. He highlighted Aksai Chin, occupied by China, as part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, belonging to India.
“The only unresolved issue is the lands occupied by Pakistan and China because Aksai Chin, which is occupied by China is also part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, part of Bharat,” he added.
Shedding light on issues of governance, human rights, and regional disparities, the rights activist also called for international attention to the situation in PoK, which is likely to grow with such perspectives gaining prominence. (ANI)
The protesters, including women, lawyers, and activists, expressed their frustration over government discrimination and oppressive policies….reports Asian Lite News
People from all walks of life in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) took to the streets in a region-wide protest against a range of issues they have been grappling with for an extended period.
The protesters, including women, lawyers, and activists, expressed their frustration over government discrimination and oppressive policies. The region has witnessed numerous protests in recent months, with grievances ranging from wheat flour shortages to exorbitant electricity prices.
Faisal Jameel, Leader of Awami Action Committee said, “Initially the protests started in Poonch when people held a sit-in (against the administration) for around four months owing to high prices of wheat flour and after that suddenly the overbilling of electricity started. It further resented the general public leading to massive protests in Muzaffarabad and in the whole of PoK”.
He added, “Awami Action Committee actively participated in the movement and the protests happening today are the outcome of that movement. This movement will continue (against the administration) until our demands are met”.
Working women, who have borne the brunt of these issues, joined the protest. Female lawyers gathered outside the Central Press Club in Muzaffarabad to denounce the injustices faced by POK residents.
In response to the protests, the government has initiated a crackdown, conducting house searches and filing FIRs against those demanding their rights.
The protesters are undeterred, determined to continue their struggle for justice.
A lawyer based in Muzaffarabad said, “What kind of justice is this! When someone asks for his/her rights then they (the administration) register FIRs against them, raid their homes! Trample upon their children! What kind of administration is it! What kind of justice is this! All the administrators should listen to us with their ears wide open! Our protests are for our reasonable rights! Our protests are for our ownership of our resources.
He added, “We have reasonable demands, we should be given wheat flour and electricity at (affordable) cost. We should get our electricity generated out of our resources. Is it a crime to raise our voice for our rights!”
Another lawyer protester said, “You can see that the women of Muzaffarabad have taken to the streets. I think this is the first time that women in such a large number have come out for their rights, for their children’s rights. It is the protest against the violation of women’s houses and arrests made by the police forces. What kind of crime we have committed! Is raising voices for our rights a crime? Is asking for electricity a crime? Is it a crime to ask for wheat flour to feed our children!”
Women protesters also expressed solidarity with those arrested for speaking out against the government’s policies, highlighting the harsh crackdown launched against dissenters.
The people of PoK have long endured discrimination and second-class treatment.
Despite past oppression, they remain resolute in their demands this time, vowing not to back down under any circumstances. (ANI)
The people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have been facing intense problems due to high inflation and exorbitant electricity bills…reports Asian Lite News
Exiled Kashmiris from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) gathered outside Pakistan’s consulate in Bradford city of United Kingdom to demonstrate against Pakistani security forces for violating human rights.
The demonstration was organized by the Jammu Kashmir National Independence Alliance (JKNIA) with an aim to raise voices against the crackdown by Pakistani security forces on protesters raising issues of high electricity bills and inflation.
Speaking at the event, Mahmood Kashmiri, the chairman of JKNIA, said, “At present, a movement is ongoing in PoK against repression by Islamabad and it is our duty to support them.”
Exiled Kashmiris from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir hold public demonstration outside Pakistani Consulate in Bradford, UK exposing atrocities and human rights violations by the Pakistan Army.
This demonstration was organised to protest against the Crackdown by Pakistani Government… pic.twitter.com/Hr0PtwjCYv
“Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir produces around 4,000 MW of electricity and our consumption is almost 400 MW and Pakistan is not ready to provide us the required electricity. We our people raise their demand then are labelled as Indian agents,” the JKNIA chairman said.
Speaking about the ongoing economic crisis in Pakistan, he said that the politicians and top military officers are begging from other countries and the money is being used for their own comfort.
“We the people of Jammu and Kashmir are not part of Pakistan. The loans Pakistan has taken from other countries are not our responsibility to repay. If Pakistan has taken loans, it is Pakistan that needs to repay it,” he said.
The people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have been facing intense problems due to high inflation and exorbitant electricity bills.
Massive anti-Pakistan protests are happening in all cities across PoK to raise the demand for freedom. (ANI)
The delegates briefed MP Andrew McDonald about the restrictions on freedom of expression, press media, and publications in PoK and Gilgit Baltistan…reports Asian Lite News
A high-level delegation of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) has met with British Labour Member of British Parliament Andrew McDonald at Middlesbrough in the United Kingdom and discussed several pressing issues concerning human rights, lack of basic facilities, land grabbing, occupying tourists resorts, hilltops and lack of infrastructure in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan.
The members also highlighted the discriminatory practices that prevent Kashmiris from participating in elections unless they pledge allegiance to Pakistan. The UKPNP delegation that met the British MP McDonald on Monday was led by party’s chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri. The delegation included Central Spokesman Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, Senior Leader Mahmood Kashmiri, President of UK Europe Zone Sardar Amjad Yousaf, Secretary General United Kingdom Zone Raja Sarfraz, Secretary of Information Sardar Tikka Khan Tahir, Rizwan Siddique, Usman Khan and others.
The delegates briefed MP Andrew McDonald about the restrictions on freedom of expression, press media, and publications in PoK and Gilgit Baltistan. They also expressed concern over the resurgence of extremist and radical groups recruiting youth for jihadi activities, leading to the forced disappearance of 22 young boys by a banned outfit, which has prompted protests from their parents and loved ones seeking their recovery, as per an official release.
The delegation shed light on the plight of PoK and Gilgit Baltistan, which are administered by Pakistan and suffer from deprivation and underdevelopment. Protests have been ongoing against shortages of flour, wheat, essential food items, inflation, electricity, and hefty charges in electricity bills.
The UKPNP members also highlighted the exploitation of natural resources, denial of royalty, lack of industry and job opportunities, and the persecution of human rights activists and pro-Kashmir, pro-people, and pro-peace activists, who are often forced to leave their native places and seek refuge abroad.
According to the release, the meeting served as an opportunity for the UKPNP delegation to advocate for the rights and well-being of the people in the region and draw attention to the urgent need for international support and attention to these critical issues.
The concerns raised by Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri regarding the environment and land grabbing in PoK, as well as the impact of CPEC and other mega projects on climate and weather, are serious issues that require urgent attention. It’s crucial for the international community to come together to address these challenges and protect the lives, wildlife, and environment in the region. Collaboration and action are essential to safeguard the affected areas and mitigate the devastating effects of such activities, according to the official release.
The Labor Member Parliament Andrew McDonald assured the delegates that the people of PoK, Gilgit Baltistan should be entitled to live their lives with peace and harmony, emphasizing that without the rule of law, freedom of expression, and freedom of movement, the region cannot achieve lasting peace and stability, as per the release.
Sardar Shaukat and the delegates thanked the British member of parliament for giving the time and this opportunity to share their views. (ANI)
The circular warned of strict action would be taken against the head of the institution if they fail to implement the directions issued by the authorities…reports Sanjeev Sharma
Hijab has been made mandatory for women students and teachers at co-education academic institutions of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), as per reports.
A notification to this effect was issued on the instructions of PoK Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.
It will be mandatory for women students and teachers to wear hijab in co-educational institutions, as per the notification, Samaa TV reported.
According to the notification, action will be taken against the head of the institution over violation of the orders, Samaa TV reported.
Strict action would be taken against the head of the institution if they fail to implement the directions issued by the authorities, warned the circular, Geo News reported.
However, it is not clarified in the circular what action would be taken against those female students and teachers who do not wear hijab.
While giving the reason behind the circular, the education department’s officers said that it is observed that heads of the institutions are not implementing the dress code issued by the authorities earlier, Geo News reported.
The education officers, however, could not provide the details about the dress code issued earlier.
The officers termed the circular “inner matter” of the office, adding that it is issued to ensure discipline in educational institutions.
Education Minister Dewan Ali Khan Chughtai claimed that the notification is issued in line with “Our religion and moral values of our society”, Geo News reported.
The demonstrators demanded an apology from Shehbaz Sharif for his behavior against their Prime Minister while torching tires and blocking roadways….reports Asian Lite News
Scores of people took to the streets of Muzaffarabad city in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), chanting slogans against the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for insulting their Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.
The demonstrators demanded an apology from Shehbaz Sharif for his behavior against their Prime Minister while torching tires and blocking roadways. Earlier, in what could be referred to as an unprecedented incident and a blatant violation of government protocols, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was caught on camera insulting PoK PM Tanveer Ilyas when he tried to correct him during his speech.
Shehbaz Sharif was in PoK to inaugurate the operationalisation of two more phases of the Mangla Dam on the Jhelum river in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
One of the protestors said, “What Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shezbaz Sharif did to our Prime Minister is unacceptable. We have made immense contributions to the development of Pakistan. Our Prime Minister was prevented from speaking at the event. We shall punish the people of Kashmir in this manner because we partitioned our own country to build Pakistan.”
“Pakistan Prime Minister Shezbaz Sharif owes an apology to our Prime Minister and the people of Kashmir. If this is not done, we will block the region and protest on the roads,” the protestor added.
People in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have already staged a number of protests earlier as well, in support of their rights, but the authorities have ignored each and every one of them.
According to PoK Activist based in the United Kingdom, Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza, thousands of villages were drowned to make room for the Mangla dam.
“The Mangla dam victims, the families who were displaced, the Mangla dam affected, and their sacrifices were all forgotten by Pakistan’s Prime Minister,” he said.
“When the Prime Minister of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir raised this question of why the Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif has failed to address Kashmir and thank Kashmir and the people of Kashmir who have given their most fertile land of this region for this dam, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, instead of talking to him or replying to his query instructed his guards to be rude to the Prime Minister of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir and they were very rude with him. So, I think its time the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling class also realise that there is no room for negotiation. The only way for PoJK is to wrest independence from Pakistan,” the PoK Activist added. (ANI)
