PoJK seeks more Pakistani forces as JAAC presses demands for rights and dialogue
The civil rights group of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under the banner of Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has announced a long march on July 15 to Muzaffarabad, the capital of so-called “Azad Kashmir,” amid unrest that has left hundreds dead. The PoJK administration has called for additional forces from Islamabad making it clear they are not willing to talk or negotiate with the protesting population.
As protests continued across PoJK, with demonstrators demanding better life, civil liberties, their own elected government and dialogue, the Pakistani government has substantially increased force deployment in PoJK.
Ahead of the July 15 march call by JAAC, the Chief Secretary and the Inspector General of Police of PoJK urged the Interior Ministry of Pakistan to increase deployment of forces in the region in view of “the volatile security crisis engineered by the proscribed Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK-JAAC). In their letter they blamed the JAAC for miseries of the locals through its “ongoing threats of long march, protest and agitational activities,” and by setting on fire trucks carrying food supplies while terming them “miscreant element”. The PoK population has blamed the administration for stopping supplies.
The letter further said the JAAC continues to maintain highly disruptive sit-ins in
Poonch/Rawalakot (Poonch Division), while attempting to mobilize public rallies in
neighbouring districts and accused that “armed miscreants” associated with the banned outfit are attempting to sabotage peace in the Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions. The letter sought additional forces having 4000 personnel from Pakistani paramilitary forces and seven battalions of Pak Rangers having roughly 6000 personnel. The request for this reinforcement is to support about 10,000 Pak Rangers already stationed in the region since June 4. The PoJK officials have urged Pak government that 50% of the arriving force may be equipped with arms and ammunition, and the remaining 50% with anti-riot gear
JAAC member Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri has announced a long march towards Muzaffarabad on July 15 with an appeal to the general public to join the long march with full force. “We at least have the right to stand firm on our stance and give our lives, and now that is what we will do. Future generations will see for themselves who was the oppressor and who was the oppressed,” Umar Nazir Kashmiri said. Kashmiri was injured in police action on protesters recently.
In a statement JAAC said that it made efforts for several days to resolve the issue through dialogue and prevent harm to the people of Kashmir. “Time was extended repeatedly so that no one could say that the Committee does not want peace. Considering people's lives as paramount, the Committee continued to show restraint, but the government and political leaders seem to have decided to suppress the issue through force. Great efforts were made to somehow initiate dialogue and avoid harm to Kashmir and its people, but all these efforts have failed. The final deadline given by the Action Committee has also expired…Now, the Action Committee has no other path left,” the statement.
