Anti-Pak protests erupt in PoK's Tarar Khel

A massive anti-Pakistan protest was held in the Tarar Khel area of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as locals, including women and children, raised slogans demanding an end of Pakistani occupation. A march was carried out by the protestors shouting pro-independence slogans blaming the Pakistan Army and the police for atrocities on innocent civilians.

They blamed Islamabad for its discriminatory policies for the past 70 years. The protest was held after a successful district convention of Sudhnotti at Tarar Khel led by former senior vice chairperson of United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) Naila Khaneen. A large number of political activists, members of civil society and students participated in the convention. The residents of the PoK have been facing numerous issues as they allege they are treated as second-class citizens under the Pakistani occupation.

In recent days, several incidents have been reported where the security forces kidnapped and tortured the political activists, especially the youth, who raised their voices against the Pakistani occupation and exploitation of their natural resources.

Earlier in the month, the UKPNP held a series of demonstrations and conventions against the kidnapping of political activists from the PoK. People held banners that said: "Stop abductions and enforced disappearances in so-called Azad Kashmir," and carried out a rally in Rawalpindi. They shouted slogans for freedom from Pakistan and also asked China to leave their occupied territory.

A convention was also held at the Rawalpindi Press Club, wherein the speakers raised several issues concerning the people of PoK. People chanted anti-Pakistan slogans and demanded an end to forceful occupation of the PoK and Gilgit Baltistan. They also called for an immediate withdrawal of Pakistani forces from their territory as per the United Nations Security Council resolution.

The Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, also known as 'Azad Kashmir', has a prime minister and a president, but is ruled from Islamabad. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is the chairman and chief executive of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council who manages all affairs related to the PoK.

-ANI