MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider on Saturday asked Islamabad to alert the international community about Indian designs, fearing it could resort to some mischief like that of the one in February last year.

“I have full faith in Pakistan army, which has given befitting replies to India in the past and will continue to do so in future, but I want the government of Pakistan to seriously ponder the likelihood of any other misadventure by India like it had done in the wake of Pulwama attack,” he said at a press conference, referring to the intrusion of Indian jets into Pakistani airspace in February last year.

“Though militarily we are prepared [to face India], we should also make full preparations on the diplomatic front and tell the world that India is out to do some mischief… The [central] government should fulfill its responsibilities in this regard,” he added.

Referring to an encounter in Kupwara sector on the night of Nov 7 and 8, which the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) had also referred to in its Friday’s press release, the AJK prime minister maintained that the UN Charter gave right to people to engage in an armed struggle for freedom of their motherland from the occupiers and oppressors.

“It is also the responsibility of the neighbouring countries, such as Pakistan and China, to extend material support to the people who have been enslaved by India in blatant violation of the UN Security Council resolutions,” he said.

Quoting COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa, who he met the other day, Mr Haider said Pakistan army had conveyed a message to the Indian army to restrict its attacks [shelling] to the military installations on the opposite side rather than the civilian populations.

However, the Indian army did not agree to it for it had been reduced to an unprofessional militia, he said.

He said around 610,000 people inhabited the areas along the Line of Control(LoC) and by abruptly resorting to unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling, India wanted to achieve two objectives.

Elaborating, he said, India was out to frighten the LoC residents into leaving their homes to render Pakistan army all alone in those areas because it knew that no army could win any war without support from the local population

Continuing, he said, India also wanted to create unrest in AJK because it was a difficult task to permanently rehabilitate a population of more than 600,000 from along the LoC elsewhere in the 5000 sq. miles small AJK territory.

To a question about what had been discussed by him with Gen Bajwa he said they talked about many issues but since he was under an oath he could not say anything that could alert or benefit the enemy.

To a question about his tweet in the wake of yesterday’s losses due to Indian shelling, he reiterated that Pakistan army was fully capable of defending every inch of AJK.

To another question, he said no government could divide Jammu and Kashmir and if at all any such decision was taken, it would be with the mutual consultation of Kashmiris from all units of the erstwhile princely state.

Mr Haider also invited AJK leadership “in this hour of trial” to forge unity to give a befitting answer to Indian aggression.

“I have no issues with whatever statements you give against me, but I want them to get united… True we don’t have weapons in our hands but national unity is more powerful than weapons.”

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2020