- Public protest against Pakistan government in PoK
- The situation in PoK, which has been a headache for Pakistan for 76 years, is explosive
- Locals of PoK demand cheap electricity, cheap wheat flour and relief from inflation
Violence has once again flared up in PoK, which was annexed by neighboring Pakistan. The people of PoK have taken to the streets against the government of Pakistan. Violent protests have continued in PoK for three days. However, for now, the fire of this protest is burning and there is no sign of calming down. Independence slogans are being raised in PoK.
According to the information, one police officer has been killed in the violent protests. More than 100 people were injured. The protest in PoK is being held under the banner of the Jammu-Kashmir Joint Action Committee. According to Mirpur SSP, one SI died on the spot in this violent protest.
The agitation for independence from Pakistan intensified in PoK
Local Awami Action Committees in PoK are mostly traders. They have demanded cheap wheat flour, cheap electricity and an end to amenities for the rich. According to the information, the police have arrested and imprisoned more than 70 activists of Awami Action Committee. While the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif have requested all political and local parties to exercise restraint and resolve the issue through discussion.
What is the current status of PoK?
If we look at it, there are often protests in PoK. But this time the demonstration turned violent. According to the information, mobile and internet services have been completely stopped in different areas of PoK. Mobile network and internet service has stopped in Mirpur.
The Awami Action Committee had announced shutter down and chakkajam on Friday for their demands. On Saturday, the committee marched from Kotli to Muzaffarabad. But there JAAC said that the action committee has nothing to do with violence. The JAACA spokesperson accused the protesters of deliberately inciting violence to discredit their peaceful movement.
Monday is the fourth day of strike in PoK. Demonstrators have accused the government of making excuses. The situation in PoK is still tense. However, the administration has now put a strict ban on gatherings, rallies and processions in all districts of PoK. Section-144 has also been implemented.
Then why the protests in PoK?
Local leaders of PoK have accused the Pakistan government of discrimination. He has also claimed to have militarized PoK. Last week, PoK activist Amjad Ayub Mirza said people were angry over issues like inflation, unemployment, end of subsidy on wheat and flour, taxes and electricity. President Asif Ali Zardari said that the demands of the people of PoK will be resolved according to law.
At the same time, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Abdul Majeed Khan claimed that the Action Committee’s demands had been accepted and an agreement reached. Under the agreement, the government agreed to take the subsidy rates on flour and electricity tariffs to the 2022 level. But later the Action Committee withdrew from this agreement. The issue of electricity in PoK has been hot for many years. In February itself, there was a big demonstration in PoK regarding this. People living in PoK claim that the rich and powerful get 24 hours of electricity, while the poor get 18-20 hours of electricity. Activists here claim that despite the reduction in hours, one has to pay a hefty electricity bill.
How is PoK?
PoK is actually divided into two regions. The first is what Pakistan calls Azad Kashmir. And secondly Gilgit-Baltistan part of Azad Kashmir is annexed to Indian Kashmir. While Gilgit Baltistan is in the northernmost part of Kashmir bordering Ladakh. The entire area is spread over 90,972 square kilometers. Azad Jammu and Kashmir is 13,297 and Gilgit-Baltistan 72,495 square kilometers.
PoK is very important because of strategy. It is bordered by many countries. It is bordered on the west by Punjab province of Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is bordered by Afghanistan’s Bakhkan Corridor in the north-west, China in the north and India’s Jammu and Kashmir in the east.
In 1949, an agreement was reached between the leaders of independent Jammu and Kashmir and the government of Pakistan. This is called the Karachi Agreement. Under this agreement, the leaders of Azad Jammu were handed over Gilgit-Baltistan to Pakistan. Now the situation today is that the area that Pakistan has occupied in Kashmir is very backward. This is the reason why the people of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are demanding independence.
How did Pakistan capture PoK?
A few months after India’s independence, on 22 October 1947, hundreds of trucks loaded with thousands of tribals entered Kashmir with the aim of annexing Kashmir to Pakistan. These were the tribals who were supported by the Pakistan government and military.
On 27 October 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the document of annexation with India. On the very next day, the raids of the Indian army landed in Kashmir and gradually the Indian army pushed back the Pakistani tribals. It is worth mentioning that Jawaharlal Nehru took this issue to UNO on one day of January 1948 on the advice of then Governor General Mountbett in India. That year four resolutions were passed in the UN regarding Kashmir.
While all this was happening in UNO, the Pakistanis had illegally occupied Kashmir on a large scale. UNO mediated a ceasefire between the two countries but it was decided that the Kashmir that India had would remain with India and the portion that Pakistan had seized would go to it. This is called PoK.
