UKPNP condemns deployment of heavy troops against peaceful protests in PoK
- In Reports
- 12:54 PM, May 06, 2024
- Myind Staff
The top leadership of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) has expressed serious concern over the recent militarisation of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a joint statement released.
Top leaders of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), including Chairman Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, spokesperson Nasir Aziz Khan, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jameel Maqsood, expressed apprehension in their statement about Pakistan's recent deployment of defense personnel in the PoK region.
The UKPNP leaders asserted that the recent deployment of defense personnel in PoK by the Pakistani Defense Agencies is part of a suppression strategy aimed at quelling protests scheduled by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and the People's Right Movement in PoK.
They highlighted ongoing protests in PoK since May 2023, with demonstrators demanding redressal of various issues, including heavy taxes, inflated electricity bills, unemployment, food shortages, and exploitation of natural resources.
The UKPNP called for the participation of all its members in PoK in a protest march organised by the UKPNP and JAAC on May 11, starting from Bhimber to Muzaffarabad.
During the march, the demands will include providing free electricity to PoK natives, offering subsidies on essential commodities, granting majority ownership of hydropower projects in PoK, eliminating privileges for the elite class, and resolving issues such as load shedding, inflation, and unemployment, as outlined in the joint statement.
The statement emphasised that peaceful protests, association, and assembly are the democratic rights of every individual. It underscored that the use of force against peaceful protests will not be tolerated and will be strongly opposed on all platforms.
Furthermore, the UKPNP leadership urged the Pakistani administration to promptly address and fulfill all demands of the people of PoK. They highlighted the dire situation faced by residents due to the deprivation of their basic human rights in PoK, including Gilgit Baltistan.
Part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir which remained under Pakistan's illegal occupation since 1947, PoK is facing severe issues like freedom of expression, unemployment, high inflation, and human rights violations against political activists and journalists.
For several decades, the people in PoK have been demanding freedom from Pakistan and seeking international intervention. UKPNP has been raising such issues at various international forums, including the United Nations.
Image source: ANI
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