Tensions are rising in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as Islamabad begins deploying troops from Punjab to quell May 11 protests.
Geneva: Tensions are rising in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) as Islamabad deploys troops from Punjab to control and quell large-scale protests scheduled for May 11. Meanwhile, the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) and the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) warned the government against using force during the peaceful protests.
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Both political parties issued separate warnings of international protests if Islamabad uses any force against demonstrators attempting to raise legitimate demands, and held demonstrations. It is worthless for Punjab Frontier Corps, Rangers and Quick Response Force (QRF) personnel to be on the roads in the area.
According to a joint statement issued by the UKPNP and JAAC, the demonstrators are protesting unfair taxation, high electricity bills, uncontrolled inflation and severe shortages of essential goods such as flour.
In addition, residents are also demanding ownership of local land and water resources and royalties to locals for hydropower produced by dams in PoJK and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan.
Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, chairman of UKPNP and Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, former spokesperson of JAAC, said that billions of dollars from Kashmiri diaspora every year should be raised for the development of POJK and POGB. He said that despite remittances being sent, people in these areas are suffering. Severe growth failure.
These funds are reportedly being siphoned off to Pakistani banks, causing economic woes in the region.
Earlier, in the same context, PoJK activist Amjad Ayub Mirza cited an official request raised by the government to deploy 600 police personnel to the Civil Army (CAF) to circumvent the law and order situation in the country. He said he was requesting six platoons. PoK and protect Chinese people, especially after the recent Chinese-related explosions in April. While reacting to the issue, Mirza said that the people of PoK have been suffering from a humanitarian crisis for over four years and the problem has been getting worse year by year and now it is getting worse every month.
He further said that the Pakistani state is afraid of our people because they are using all kinds of excuses to suppress our civil disobedience. Now the people are angry and say they will observe an indefinite sit-in in Muzaffarabad parliament. ”
Published date: May 9, 2024 7:44 AM (IST)
Updated: May 9, 2024 8:03 AM (IST)