Locals in PoK protest decades of occupation, misrule, discrimination and oppression by Islamabad
Massive protests erupted in Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or PoK due to Pakistan's increased support and financing of terror activity in the region. Tired of living under constant threat and fear, residents and political activists in PoK blamed Islamabad for "providing shelter, training and finances to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)."
"We have repeatedly said that (so called) 'non-state actors' (terrorists), who are constantly being smuggled into Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan's secret agencies (ISI), have sabotaged us. The world is now seeing it as an act of terrorism. Nobody has been listening to us," a member of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Sardar Jagir Khan said, according to a report in news agency ANI.
"After 9/11, our efforts were abolished. When the international community put pressure on Pakistan to eliminate terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), they activated Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) led by Maulana Masood Azhar. Now, Jaish-e-Mohammed is getting shelter and being promoted in PoK," he said.
In Tarar Khel region of PoK, locals took to the streets protesting against decades of forceful occupation, misrule, discrimination and oppression by Pakistan.
Terming the local leadership as "puppets" of Islamabad, residents across PoK raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
Residents of Tarar Khel said they are denied basic human rights and amenities for decades. There is no healthcare, no civic amenities, no roads; and above all, we live under constant threat, they said.
"Pakistan has no control over its finance now, where will they give money (to PoK) from?," the protestors said, adding, "We are aware of everything."
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, is part of Jammu and Kashmir, and has been under the forceful and illegal occupation of Pakistan since 1948.
(With inputs from ANI)