Muzaffarabad (NVI): Pakistan-occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are witnessing increasing protests over issues like converting Gilgit-Baltistan a province of Pakistan ahead of the anniversary of occupation of these territories.
A major protest was staged by Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation (JKNSF) and Jammu Kashmir National Awami Party (JKNAP) at Kohala Bridge main road connecting Muzaffarabad.
The protest was against Pakistan’s move to make Gilgit-Baltistan the country’s fifth province.
Authorities resorted to violence against the peaceful protesters and arrested 47 activists, including JKNAP president Liaquat Hayat and party general secretary Abdul Sattar, reports reaching here said.
Meanwhile, National Equality Party (NEP) and National Students Federation (NSF) of Gilgit-Baltistan have announced a sit-in at Tetrinote on October 22, the anniversary of Pakistan’s invasion of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.
The Pakistani invasion was aimed at militarily annexing Jammu and Kashmir and four days later, the ruler of the erstwhile state Maharaja Hari Singh sent an SOS to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for help. The Indian Army landed in Srinagar on October 27, 1947 and started pushing out the Pakistani invaders.
While India’s campaign to oust the Pakistani invaders was still underway, the UN Security Council ordered a ceasefire, as a result of which the state was divided and Pakistan continues to occupy a part of it. These territories are — Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
In a recent media briefing, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur stated that Pakistan Government has decided to change the status of G-B and to make it a full-fledged province.
India has opposed Pakistan’s plans to conduct elections in Gilgit-Baltistan on November 15, saying that the Imran Khan government has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it.
Earlier this month, there have been huge protests in Gilgit-Baltistan by the locals for release of their loved ones including several political activists, some of whom have been jailed for 70-90 years since 2011 for raising voice against Pakistan atrocities.
The local people have been demanding unconditional release of all political prisoners in Gilgit Baltistan, including the towering figure of the region Baba Jan, along with Iftikhar Karbalai and others who have been languishing in Pakistan jails for years for raising their voices against Pakistani military and ISI.
Baba Jan, who has been serving sentence behind prison bars for 6 years now. Reportedly, he is the longest-serving political prisoner in occupied Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan.
