Prof. Virender Gupta
The whole of Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit and Baltistan accessed to Indian after the then Maharaja of the State signed the Instrument of Accession and in consequence to that the whole territory of Jammu and Kashmir included in the territorial jurisdiction of Indian Union as per Article 1 of the Indian Constitution. The Maharaja signed the instrument of accession with the hope that Indian forces would be able to defend the state from Pakistan aggression would be able to vacate the area occupied by the invaders and the integrity of the state be restored. The Indian Parliament by its resolution of 1994 again reasserted that whole of Jammu and Kashmir that existed before Pakistan’s invasion in 1947 is part of India and pledged to get vacated that part of it which had been forcibly occupied by Pakistan. It may be mentioned that Pakistan occupied part of Jammu and Kashmir was divided by Pakistan into Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan with its well planned game plan to keep “Kashmir” into focus before the international forum.
Therefore, it is obligatory on the part of Indian Union to have a watch on the well being of the people residing in that part of its territory, which is in forceful occupation of the other country. The available information indicates that the conditions of the people residing there are critical. People are leading a miserable life. Their freedom is curtailed, their fundamental human rights are denied and rein of oppression is hanging on their destiny.
In the 31st regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland there was a protest organized by Institute of Gilgit- Baltistan Studies led by its president Senge Sering accusing Pakistan for human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, lack of educational facilities, particularly for women and children and allowing of external forces to exploit resources of POK and Gilgit-Baltistan. Seng said that Pakistan Government frames sedition charges, life imprisonment, torture and death against those who raise local issues. The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly has been reduced to a defunct body as all the resolutions passed by it in the last five years were rejected by Pak Government. 12 of the political activists and national leaders of Gilgit Baltistan were given life imprisonment under anti Terrorism Act on September 26, 2014. Shias who constituted majority earlier in the area have now been reduced to minority.
The people living in the so called Azad Kashmir are also protesting against the atrocities being committed on them by the ISI, Pakistan army and the Pakistani officers, who are practically ruling them. The peace and economy of the actual residents of POK is completely disturbed as it has been reduced as the hub of terrorists. The militants in the guise of Jehad carry out their personal vendetta, killing whosoever they like. The condition there is of severe oppression with absolutely no freedom of speech and press. The boys of 13-14 year old are kidnapped, trained and then sent to this side of border. The ministers are answerable to the Pakistan lent officers including the chief secretary, finance secretary, etc. POK is ruled by a President, Prime-Minister and a Council which is totally dependent on Pakistan. It has no power of its own. It last went to polls in 2011.
As per the Article 4(7)(2) of Azad Kashmir no person or party in Azad Jammu and Kashmir is permitted to propagate against or take part in activities prejudicial or detrimental to, the ideology of the State’s accession to Pakistan. POK lacks in basic facilities, like education and medical and the development activities are at ground level. As per the version of one of the POK resident, that the people are so sick of Pakistan that only 10 percent of them support Pakistan’s claim on Kashmir and ninety percent POK people are against the Islamabad control.
According to Human Rights Watch , Islamabad, the army and the ISI authorities govern Azad Kashmir with strict controls on basic freedom.¦ The military shows no tolerance for dissent and practically runs the region as a colony. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has also exposed Pakistan for pursuing its key policy of holding tight controls on freedom of expression in POK.
The situation in POK is alarming leading to one of the biggest human tragedies in the world. The world needs to respond to the cry for help coming from POK including Gilgit-Baltistan. The United Nations must send a fact finding mission there and make the findings opened to the international media so that the actual picture comes out. It is imperative on the part of India to support the cause of the people of POK and those of Gilgit and Baltistan and raise their voice in the international forums , exposing Pakistan for the human rights violations and the atrocities that it is inflicting on the people of POK. It should not hesitate even to support the demand for the liberation of that part of India from Pakistan occupancy, which is the extreme desire of the majority residing there.
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