PM Imran cautions AJK residents against crossing LoC to aid occupied Kashmir struggle

Published October 5, 2019
Prime Minister Imran Khan says crossing the LoC by AJK residents will give India an excuse to increase violent oppression of Kashmiris.  —Photo courtesy Imran Khan Facebook
Prime Minister Imran Khan says crossing the LoC by AJK residents will give India an excuse to increase violent oppression of Kashmiris. —Photo courtesy Imran Khan Facebook

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday once again advised the residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) against crossing the Line of Control to support the struggle of the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir, who have been under a crippling lockdown for over two months now.

"I understand the anguish of the Kashmiris in AJK seeing their fellow Kashmiris in IOJK (Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir) under an inhumane curfew for over 2 months," the premier said in a tweet.

Read: Hundreds of Kashmiris riding cars, bikes take part in caravan

"But anyone crossing the LoC from AJK to provide humanitarian aid or support for Kashmiri struggle will play into the hands of the Indian narrative," he wrote.

That Indian narrative, Prime Minister Imran explained, tries to divert attention from the indigenous struggle of Kashmiris against brutal Indian occupation by trying to label it as "Islamic terrorism" being driven by Pakistan.

"It will give India an excuse to increase violent oppression of Kashmiris in IOJK & attack across LoC," he cautioned.

The prime minister's advice comes a day after tens of hundreds of emotionally charged Kashmiris from different parts of AJK set out in vehicular and motorcycle rallies to Muzaffarabad on the call of pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) to show solidarity with the besieged people of occupied Kashmir.

A JKLF spokesperson had told Dawn that the marchers would put up at different places in Muzaffarabad on Friday and resume their march towards Chakothi sector at 10am on Saturday.

“From Chakothi we will cross over the ceasefire line (LoC) for Srinagar,” he said, expressing his desire for the administration and police not to create hindrances for them.

Earlier on Friday, Muzaffarabad administration and police officials had visited the local press club to appeal to people to avoid getting close to the LoC “in the interest of their own safety”.

"There are strong apprehensions that the Indian army would resort to shelling at the people assembling along the LoC which can subsequently cause serious casualties,” divisional commissioner Chaudhry Imtiaz said, urging “the participants of all rallies and processions not to provide any opportunity to the enemy to hurt unarmed citizens”.

There were reports that the administration had planned to stop the marchers beyond Chinari, located about 10 kilometres before the LoC.

Kashmir under siege

Frustration, anger and fear have been growing in occupied Kashmir since August 5, when the Hindu nationalist-led government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stripped the region of its semi-autonomous status and imposed a curfew and a communications blackout.

The Indian government deployed thousands of troops to the already heavily militarised region to quell potential dissent. It also cut off internet access, put politicians under house arrest and shut down schools.

The lockdown and communications blackout entered their 62nd day on Saturday.

Meanwhile, both Prime Minister Imran and the Pakistan Army have warned that India could stage a "false flag operation" to divert the world's attention from its rights violations in Kashmir.

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