New Delhi (NVI) A movement is set to be launched by activists and residents of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir against Pakistan government’s policy of using them as cannon-fodder.
The movement has been planned in the backdrop of recent development where Pakistan Army stationed its artillery guns in civilian areas of Neelum Valley near the Line of Control (LoC) and shelled Indian Army positions, thus inviting retaliation in the same direction which resulted in some civilian casualties.
Prof Sajjad Raja, Chairman of National Equality Party of Jammu, Kashmir and Gilgit-Balitstan, said a major demonstration was held by the local Kashmiris in Neelum Valley on November 14, a day after the cross-LoC shelling. They protested against placing of artillery guns by Pakistan Army in civilian areas and using these to target Indian side, thus endangering the lives of the locals.
“There is already agitation going on… We are very seriously thinking on it,” he said when asked whether residents of PoK would be highlighting how Pakistan is causing harm to them.
The prominent political leader from PoJK said they would be highlighting the problems they are facing at the hands of Pakistan Army even at the international fora.
“People of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir are not happy with Pakistan. They know Pakistan deliberately wants them to suffer,” Raja said.
To press his point, he said a recent survey had revealed that 73.3 per cent of people of PoJK don’t want to stay with Pakistan.
Raja said “an uprising” is already taking place in PoJK “but we believe in peace and democracy” and not in armed struggle.
“Pakistan has used us and abused us, not only in areas under Pakistani occupation but on the other side as well. Pakistan sends ‘jihadis’ across the LoC and what has been happening in Kashmir since 1989 is Pakistan’s strategy to get Kashmiris killed on both sides of the divide,” the Kashmiri leader said.
“Pakistan is not a democratic state, it is a terrorist state. It has only one institution and that is the Army,” he added.
He appealed to India to intervene and ensure well-being of people in territories of Jammu and Kashmir under Pakistani occupation.
“We are citizens of India under the Constitution of India and it is the responsibility of government of India to look after us,” he said.
