Column

By Ajay Kaul

For over a month, Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) has been witnessing a massive agitation, which is virtually a revolt against Pakistan’s illegal and forcible control over these territories.

For the first time since 1947, when Pakistan occupied these territories of Jammu and Kashmir, the locals are displaying an unprecedented resolve and determination that may shape the future of the region.

The resolve has remained unfazed, since June 5, despite the extreme brutalities resorted to by the Pakistani regime, which has killed and injuring hundreds of peaceful Kashmiri protesters by firing bullets into them.

Pakistan has sent tens of thousands of army and paramilitary personnel into POJK, adding to the lakhs of those already present there, in a bid to intimidate the locals and suppress their movement which began with the demands for basic rights and against continuous oppression engineered by Islamabad.

These military personnel have been committing all kinds of brutalities — killing civilians, violating the modesty of women after barging into their homes and illegally detaining thousands of people.

The Pakistani military has also imposed an economic blockade, prohibiting supplies of even food, medicine and other essential items to POJK.

Still, mass protests continue across POJK, with the resolve strengthening each day.

These protests witness participation of lakhs of people who brave all kinds of difficulties unleashed by the Pakistani forces, day and night.

Rawalakot has become the epicentre of the agitation after the massacre committed by the Pakistani forces on June 7. Lakhs of people from across POJK have been staging non-stop dharna in Rawalakot since Pakistani forces killed and injured hundreds of locals by firing bullets and teargas shells on June 7.

Launch of Agitation

The ongoing agitation is being held under the banner of Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a conglomerate of various non-political Kashmiri organisations.

The JAAC had given a call for an indefinite agitation from June 9 to press Pakistan to end its interference in the affairs of PoJK, besides other things related to basic needs of the people of the occupied region.

The call was for organizing shutdowns, holding of rallies and demonstrations against the oppression being committed by Pakistan and its forces in POJK over the last 78 years.

However, the agitation started two days earlier as Pakistan launched a brutal crackdown on the members and supporters of JAAC by arresting and raiding residential places.

JAAC had declared that the agitation would be peaceful from their side but warned that if Pakistan resorted to force, the protesters would not behave like “(Mahatma) Gandhi”.

The Pakistani forces resorted to large-scale firing, including direct shooting at the protesters, which resulted in the killing and wounding of several Kashmiris.

Taking its brutality to another level, the Pakistani regime has denied supplies of rations, medicines and other essential items, to the landlocked occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Hundreds of trucks laden with rations and other essential items have been stopped outside POJK by the Pakistani military from entering the region.

The Pakistani forces have also stopped supplies of medicines to hospitals and halted healthcare facilities in POJK.

However, these barbaric measures have failed to break the resolve of Kashmiris whose anger is increasing by such brutal actions, which further expose the fascist face of the Pakistani regime.

The outraged Kashmiris openly declare that instead of begging with Pakistan, they would resort to opening routes towards India and get the supplies from there.

Meanwhile, demonstrating exemplary spirits, scores of Kashmiris, in a convoy of motorbikes, transported ration and other essential items into Rawalakot through secret routes today, breaching the Pakistani cordon.

At demonstrations and rallies, speakers and participating crowds repeatedly chant slogans against Pakistan and its military, particularly the Army Chief Asim Munir.

The slogans are like this: “Yeh Jo Dehshat Gardi Hai, Iske Peeche Vardi Hai (Those behind this terrorism are in uniform).”

Speakers at these rallies and demonstrations are demanding that Pakistan should exit POJK as it has committed enough oppression and brutalities against locals in the occupied territories over the last 78 years after militarily annexing the region.

Significantly, even the diaspora of occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been responding to the calls given by the JAAC.

Big demonstrations are being regularly held in major cities of various countries, like the United States and the United Kingdom, to highlight the atrocities being committed by Pakistan in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Genesis of current revolt

Over the last few years, anger has been mounting against Pakistan due to its continued oppression in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and denial of respect and rights to the locals.

Kashmiris have become exasperated by the political interference by Pakistan in POJK and looting of its rich resources, like hydro power, by the occupier country.

The biggest red herring is a provision under which 12 seats in the so-called 53-member Legislative Assembly of POJK are reserved for “refugees” from Jammu and Kashmir.

This category of ‘refugees’ ostensibly comprises those people of Jammu and Kashmir who migrated in 1947 and 1965 and settled in various parts of Pakistan. They include six each from the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region.

Thus, the fate of these 12 seats is decided by the so-called “refugee” voters residing outside POJK. These voters remain mysterious and are believed to be the proxies of the Pakistani military.

Moreover, out of the total 53 seats in the Legislative Assembly, elections are held for 45 seats, which include 12 reserved for ‘Kashmiri refugees’.

The remaining 8 seats are reserved for women, technocrats and clerics nominated by Pakistan.

So, effectively, Pakistan is able to control 20 out of 53 seats of the Assembly of POJK, which is almost half of the total strength of the legislative body.

The provisions have been laid down by the cunning Pakistani establishment deliberately as it gives Islamabad a crucial handle to make or break the governments in POJK.

And this is exactly what the Pakistani establishment, irrespective of who is in power, has been doing for decades, thus ensuring subservient, or puppet, governments in POJK.

The Pakistani establishment fills these 12 seats with their proxies, even though they have no connection with Jammu and Kashmir.

Because of these 12 seats, the POJK Assembly virtually remains a hostage to the rulers in Islamabad.

The people of POJK finally understood this game and rose against this provision.

JAAC’s main demand has been abolition of this provision, to ensure there is no interference, at least politically, in the affairs of POJK.

So, the current agitation was launched just ahead of the elections to the POJK Assembly scheduled to be held on July 27.

The people of POJK have declared that they would not allow Pakistan to conduct the farcical elections this time and are ready to do or die for their resolve.

Demand Raised Earlier

The JAAC first raised this demand, along with those related to food and energy rights, in May 2024 and then in April 2024. It launched agitations which lasted a few months each time.

One more agitation was launched on September 30 last year which turned out to be a mass movement. Five days later, Pakistan expressed readiness to accept most of the demands.

However, the main demand for abolition of the 12 reserved ‘refugee’ seats was not accepted.

Pakistan again fooled the Kashmiris, saying that a decision regarding abolition of the ‘refugee’ seats would be taken by a high-level committee, comprising two Federal ministers, two ministers of POJK and two members of the Action Committee.

Meanwhile, none of the 12 MLAs representing the ‘refugee’ seats would get Ministerial berths or funds, Pakistan pledged under an agreement signed with JAAC on October 4 last year.

Pakistan also made a number of other promises, like quashing of all cases registered against the leaders and activists of JAAC and citizens during the protest movement starting May 19, 2023.

It also promised to pay to the heirs of the protesters killed on October 1 and 2 a “very reasonable financial assistance under the Martyrs Package and a government job per family while those injured would get Rs 10 lakh each.”

Pakistan also made a number of other promises, including those related to ending corruption by the Pakistani ‘elites’ in POJK and undertaking development of education, electricity and infrastructure in the occupied territories.

However, the Pakistan government never implemented those promises and neither showed any inclination to do so.

Rather, it launched crackdowns on the JAAC members and common people of POJK, made further arrests instead of releasing detainees.

Quit POJK Demands

Finally, the people of POJK have realised that they have been fooled, not only now, but throughout the last 78 years.

So, they are now publicly declaring that Pakistan must leave occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir.

Top JAAC leaders have been repeatedly declaring at protest and demonstration sites that Jammu and Kashmir is not a part of Pakistan, evoking loud cheers and slogans against Pakistan and its notorious military.

In fact, as Pakistan prevented supplies of food, medicine and other essential items to POJK, its leaders have been declaring at protest sites that people of the occupied region would open routes towards India.

The Pakistani regime not only dishonoured the agreements but its military indulged in extreme forms of brutality on the people of POJK.

The Pakistani military, which claims to be the upholder of Islam, even went to the extent of firing at and killing civilian Kashmiris during ‘Namaz’.

Pakistan, as part of attempts to crush the agitation, declared JAAC an unlawful organisation and arrested several of its leaders, including the the most popular Shaukat Nawaz Mir.

The Pakistani military has also held hostage the bodies, believed to be over 50, of those Kashmiris killed by its firing at various places in POJK.

But every use of force by Pakistan is backfiring, and anger among Kashmiris is growing with each passing day.

The JAAC is insisting particularly on 5 demands:

1 – Abolition of the refugee seat reservations

2 – Withdrawal of security forces

3 — Release of prisoners

4 — Return of the bodies of the martyrs

5 — Withdrawal of cases against JAAC leaders and supporters

Defining Moment for POJK

Witnessing the resolve among the people of POJK, it is very evident by now that it is not merely an agitation but a declaration of determination by an awakened nation.

It is definitely a defining moment for POJK which can cast its impact on the future of the territories occupied militarily by Pakistan in October 1947.

The people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including those living in foreign countries, today believe they are writing a new chapter in history which can determine their future.

Now, only time can tell whether POJK is actually headed for a new chapter.