Political analyst and Institute of Kashmir Affairs director Dr Shabir Choudhry, speaking in a seminar during 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council, on Thursday said that people living in Pakistan occupied Kashmir ( PoK) are deprived of fundamental human rights.
“We people living in areas of the state occupied by Pakistan are still deprived of fundamental human rights. How sad that despite being a member of the United Nations and a signatory to different declarations on human rights, Pakistani officials openly defy all their obligations on human rights,” said Dr. Shabir.
“I acknowledge that even people of Pakistan are denied various rights, and some groups in Pakistan are systematically targeted and killed because of ethnic and religious reasons. There are some people who try to tacitly justify Pakistani crimes in Jammu and Kashmir by saying that Pakistan has some serious problems and even Pakistani people are suffering. These people forget that Pakistan’s problems are because of their illogical and wrong policies; and we people of Jammu and Kashmir should not be punished for their follies,” he added.
“Right of expression is a fundamental human right; and no society can make progress by suppressing this right. We in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir cannot even complain that we are occupied or expose Pakistani abuses and exploitation of our resources,” Dr. Choudhry said.
“All those who serve interests of Islamabad need to wake up and understand that the country has very bleak future; and the ruling elite of that country knows it well, and that is why they have all economic interests outside in other countries,” said Dr. Choudhary.
The Kashmir National Party spokesperson said that the so-called Azad Kashmir government is controlled by Pakistani officials known as Lent Officers, namely Chief Secretary, IG Police, Finance Secretary and Accountant General. Further control is exerted through Ministry of Kashmir Affairs; and Azad Kashmir government officials find themselves at their mercy.
Apart from that more than 20 secret agencies operate in these areas to ensure that no one tries to expose Pakistan’s Kashmir policy.
“Moreover, Kashmir Council which is chaired by Prime Minister of Pakistan and Pakistani Ministers control everything of importance. Azad Kashmiri government cannot take any decision or challenge decisions of the Kashmir Council on 52 important policy areas. This in practise means they are in worse position politically and administratively than Kashmir under the occupation of India,” he added.
“One can say this is a modern form of ghulami or slavery, where an enslaved person does not feel he is enslaved, if anything he takes pride in his status in order to be in good books of his political masters. We people of Jammu and Kashmiri must call spade a spade and struggle against all those who occupy us and deny us right to independence,” he said. (ANI)