Woman's death spotlights miseries of Leepa valley people

 A 60 years old woman died after she and a kin were trapped in a snow capped road towards the Leepa valley of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, marking the first snow-related death of the ongoing harsh season in the area, official sources and residents said on Tuesday.  

Noor Jehan and her son-in-law were trudging through a snowy track between Reshian to Moji village of Leepa valley on Monday afternoon, when a huge mass of snow fell over them near a place known as Mian Wala Matha.

According to official sources and residents, even though both managed to remove snow from them after hectic efforts, the lady however did not survive in subzero temperature, with her helpless son-in-law waiting in vain for help throughout the frosty night.   

Early morning, people from the deceased lady’s Chanoola village and adjoining hamlets trekked through the snow and removed the body from there. 

They reached back home - at a distance of hardly five kilometres - at about 2:30pm following which the funerals were held. 

Among the mourners was Shaukat Javed Mir, a key leader of the opposition People's Party who has long been campaigning under the banner of a local alliance of all parties for construction of 3.79 kms long Leepa Tunnel to save the lives of tens of hundreds of the residents of the picturesque valley, located some 100 kilometres southeast of Muzaffarabad.

Reshian village lies some 25-30 kilometres before it. 

From beyond Reshian, the valley is accessed by two dangerously narrow roads, known by the names of Birthwar Galli and Sher Galli, and one pedestrian track, known as Panjal Galli, which run through an altitude of around 10,000 feet.

“Every year we lose our near and dear ones to avalanches as they trudge through the snow capped routes linking our valley to the rest of the world at the peril of their lives, but ironically our desperate calls to build us the tunnel cut no ice with the authorities,” PPP leader Mir said. 

Also on Monday afternoon, another group of 23 persons, including women, was left stranded in the middle of their journey by jeeps via 10,000 feet high Barthwar Galli due to heavy snowfall.

They were able to reach their homes by 9pm only after the army personnel and locals came to their rescue, sources said. 

Mir recalled several names who, he said, had lost their lives during this arduous journey in the past.

“It is why we have long been stressing upon the governments in Muzaffarabad and Islamabad that the 
tunnel between Reshian and Leepa should be built at all costs,” he said, expressing the hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan would “sympathetically and generously allocate funds for this vitally important project without further ado.”     

Tariq Naqash 

 

 

 

Pakistan's mainstream media arraigned for "little" coverage of Kashmir

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has regretted that Pakistan’s mainstream media is giving “negligible” coverage to Kashmir issue because "it does not bring them any monetary benefits." 

He made this comment amid criticism of the private electronic media of Pakistan for not airing stories on time on death and destruction caused by Indian shelling in Neelum valley and other AJK areas along the Line of Control (LoC).  

“The media does not have any financial interests in this territory. They look at our blood with the prism of business, which is unfortunate,” Haider remarked in his speech at the swearing in of the TV Journalists Association on Monday, making it clear that his criticism was directed at the owners and policy makers and not the correspondents. 

However, he also acknowledged that the media in Pakistan was facing censorship.

“The censorship that the media is facing today has no precedence in the past except during the last days of Pervez Musharraf and prior to him during the rule of Gen Ayub Khan.” 

Haider said he wanted to strengthen AJK TV for an extensive coverage of the struggle and sacrifices of the Kashmiris as well as the unprecedented brutalities by India’s occupation machinery. 

He said he had also been calling for up-gradation of the state run radio stations in AJK to boost the morale of struggling Kashmiris and effectively counter Indian propaganda. 

Referring to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) elections, he said it was surprising that a “four months old newborn party” had emerged as the largest party there. 

“But I want to warn all concerned that the replication of what has been done in Gilgit [Baltistan] will not be allowed here [AJK]. This drama is not possible here, and its consequences will be very dangerous,” he said. 

Terming the campaigning by the leaders of different mainstream political parties in GB as “rumbustiousness” he said he was averse to their intervention.

“Is it [GB] a booty that you had to divide among yourselves? Or is it a conquered land or crown land or a pasture,” he said and added: “I tell you honestly that neither any service has been done to the GB people nor to Pakistan or Kashmir, and very soon the GB people will also realize it.” 

Haider regretted that the GB people had “disassociated themselves from Kashmir which in turn had dealt a blow to the Kashmir freedom struggle.” 

“Who says GB is not part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This step [conversion of GB into province] has also disrespected the judgments of superior courts of AJK and Pakistan.” 

“Since a part of my body has been detached, I am hurt and therefore I cannot help but express my feelings. But the time will itself decide whether this decision will go in favour of or against Pakistan.”

In the same breath, he reiterated his earlier statement that as long as AJK remained in existence, neither India nor Pakistan could swipe the Kashmir issue under the carpet. 

“This [AJK] will continue to prick them… We have sworn allegiance to the state of Pakistan and not any political party.” 

Haider said he believed that Pakistan would not get anything from the Security Council as far as the Kashmir issue was concerned. 

“In fact we have lowered our status so much that nobody gives us a damn. We can however get something from those who work on human rights and we should reach out to them with evidence of flagrant human rights violations by Indian government.” 

Towards the end of his speech, he also took a jibe at the AJK judiciary while asking journalists to ensure the version of both parties in their stories. 

“They give stay orders without ascertaining our viewpoint… But journalists should not file stories without obtaining the views of the other side.” 

Tariq Naqash

 

 

AJK PM for expansion of tax net and facilitation of taxpayers

 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has directed the region’s tax authorities to broaden the tax net and modernise the tax collection system in order to enhance territory’s revenue receipts. 

“Latest techniques should be employed in surveys to expand tax base and the department should innovate its collection system to make it easier for the existing and prospective taxpayers,” he said at meeting he chaired to review issues related to the AJK council as well as the performance and problems of the AJK Inland Revenue Department.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Law and Inland Revenue Sardar Farooq Ahmed Tahir, Minister for Health and Finance Dr Najeeb Naqi, chief secretary Shahzad Khan Bangash, additional chief secretary (general) Farhat Ali Mir, secretary finance Asmatullah Shah, secretary services Dr Liaquat Hussain Chaudhry and other officials concerned. 

It may be recalled that the AJK Inland Revenue Department was under the administrative control of the AJK Council until June 2013 when it stood transferred to the AJK government after passage of 13^thconstitutional amendment. 

Earlier, the council would retain 20pc of income tax collected from the AJK territory for its “administrative expenditures” etc. and transfer the remaining 80pc to the AJK government in irregular installments, sometimes even after the end of the fiscal year.

This, according to the AJK government sources, would worsen their fiscal woes, forcing the government to obtain overdraft from the State Bank of Pakistan to make day-to-day expenditures and pay salaries. 

The meeting was told that in 2017-18, the council had provided hardly Rs 10 billion to the AJK government [as its 80pc share] in income tax. However, after the AJK government took over the department, the income tax collection swelled to Rs 16.7 billion in 2018-19 and Rs 17.1billion in 2019-20. 

In 2020-21, department expected to generate as much as Rs 20 billion from income tax, alone. 

“This difference in income shows that around Rs 5 to 6 billion would be siphoned off from the income during the period when this department was administratively controlled by the council. We will try to dig out as to where this much amount would go,” the prime minister said.  

He maintained that the 13th amendment in the AJK Constitution had restored AJK’s administrative and fiscal powers after 44 long years and subsequently vitalized its dealings and relations with Pakistan. 

He appreciated that over the past four years his government had done away with the common practice of obtaining overdraft from the State Bank and had instead acquired financial autonomy. 

“I have left no stone unturned in establishing clean and efficient administration and it’s because of our commitment that not a single [financial] scandal came to fore over the past four years.”

According to him, increase in income had ushered AJK in an era of development and progress, benefits of which were being reaped by the common man. 

He also called for reduction in non-development expenditures so as to ensure savings to put share in AJK’s development activities, entire budget for which is currently provided by the federal government. 

As the meeting was told that the AJK council secretariat [in Islamabad] had not yet provided tax inquiries and record of development projects to the AJK government, the prime minister directed the chief secretary to convene a meeting to settle this issue. 

The meeting was also informed that only 25 employees in the AJK council secretariat were State Subject holders while the remaining 150 were non-Kashmiris who had however been given protection under the 13^thamendment. 

Tariq Naqash 

 

Guard of Honour to July 13, 1931 martyrs given in Muzaffarabad

Police contingents presenting guard of honour and Kashmiri activists wearing mock burial shrouds bearing the names of the martyrs of July 13, 1931 created awe-inspiring scenes at two of the several events held in the state capital and elsewhere in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday to mark Kashmir Martyrs Day. 

As many as 22 Kashmiri Muslims were gunned down by the troops of the despotic Hindu Dogra ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir outside Central Jail in Srinagar, where a large gathering had assembled on the occasion of an in-camera trial of Abdul Qadeer, a resident of British India, on the charges of inciting people against the regime.

After its unwarranted action to revoke special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Aug 5 last year, the BJP government had, among other repressive measures, discarded the ritual commemoration of Kashmir Martyrs Day even by the pro-India parties in the occupied territory, following which the AJK government had announced its observance in an extraordinary manner. 

In state capital Muzaffarabad, the main ceremony, where smartly turned out police contingents presented guard of honour to Kashmiri martyrs -for the first time in the territory's history - was held on an open space in front of the entrance of PM Secretariat, in keeping with the SOPs to contain Covid-19. 

Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider was the chief guest on the occasion. 

Banners and hoardings had been displayed at the venue, bearing not only the names of the 22 martyrs but also quotations on the Kashmiris’ heroic struggle for emancipation. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Haider paid rich tributes to the July 13 martyrs for laying down their lives for the democratic rights of their oppressed nation and thus infusing motivation among their compatriots. 

 “The soil, the people and the government on this side of the divide are the trustees of the liberation movement. Today, while the so-called largest democracy ruled by the successor of Nazis has banned the observance of martyrs’ day in the territory under its occupation, it’s indeed an honour for us to pay homage to those martyrs in the base camp of the freedom struggle,” the AJK premier said. 

He recalled that none of the 22 martyrs of July 13 had sustained bullets on his back but on their chests, which “spoke volumes about the fearlessness and bravery of Kashmiris.” 

“History bears testament to the fact that no power can keep the Kashmiris enslaved for good at the strength of its military might. The tradition set by July 13 martyrs has been and is being religiously followed by the Kashmiris during the ongoing phase of struggle against Indian yoke,”

“I bet India can never defeat such an exceptional, revolutionary and indomitable spirit,” he said.  

Mr Haider maintained that Kashmiris had established a bond with the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who had always held them close to his heart. 

 “Now it’s the responsibility of the people, rulers, political leaders and intelligentsia in Pakistan to play their role in actualizing Quaid’s promise to the Kashmiris,” he said. 

The AJK premier said he was pleased to note that there was complete consensus of the people, political parties and government [in Pakistan] on the issue of Kashmir. 

“But we need to fully comprehend the fascist Indian government’s nefarious designs… After a humiliating defeat from China, Narendra Modi is finding excuses to launch an aggression on our side of the divide,” he warned. 

“Let me make it clear to Mr Modi from the soil of Muzaffarabad that the people and the government of the liberated territory [of Kashmir] are fully prepared to take Indian troops head on, shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces of Pakistan,” he vowed. 

Mr Haider also assured the armed forces of Pakistan that every single person in AJK stood behind them “to make mincemeat of Indian army.”  

“I also assure Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, Syed Shabbir Shah and other pro-freedom leadership in occupied Kashmir that we all will never leave you alone in this common struggle against Indian occupation.” 

On this occasion, Mr Haider called upon the people of occupied Jammu and Ladakh to drive out those elements who had been hankering to bring about demographic change in the disputed region.

“Or else the nation will never forgive you,” he said.  

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Sahibzada Salim Chishti, chairman AJK Zakat Council, led special supplications to the Almighty for the deliverance of the martyrs and early success of the freedom struggle. 

Separately, an organization of post-1990 migrants from occupied Kashmir also staged a rally from Burhan Wani Chowk to Garhipan Chowk to pay homage to the July 13 martyrs. 

Earlier, they lined up in front of a giant wall of the district headquarters complex that has been decorated with the embossed images of Indian troops firing bullets and pellets and the unarmed Kashmiris retaliating with stones.

Of the participants, 22 were wearing mock burial shrouds bearing the names of 22 martyrs.  They also made prayer calls, apart from raising pro-freedom slogans at full volume. 

While condemning India for unleashing terror on the freedom seeking Kashmiris, the speakers, who includ

ed PPP’s regional president Chaudhry Latif Akbar, Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi, Chaudhry Feroz Deen, Uzair Ahmed Ghazali and Mushtaqul Islam, lamented that the UN and other global organizations championing human rights had turned a blind eye towards the “volcanic situation” in India occupied Kashmir.

Reports from other areas said webinars and other events were held almost everywhere to voice support for the just struggle of Kashmiris across the divide. 

Tariq Naqash 

Legal fraternity concerned over delay in appointment of permanent CJs in AJK

The Legal fraternity in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has expressed serious concerns over the alleged “inordinate” delay on the part of prime minister of Pakistan in furnishing his advice for permanent appointment of both chief justices (CJ) in AJK’s superior courts, it has been learnt.

The non-appointment of permanent CJs is not only a violation of the AJK Constitution but it’s also hampering many important judicial functions, it believes. 

Under Article 42(4) of the AJK Constitution, the AJK president appoints the Supreme Court CJ on the advice of the AJK Council and under Article 43(2-A) the high court CJ is appointed by the president on the advice of the AJK Council and after consultation with the apex court’s CJ.

Headed by the prime minister of Pakistan, the council comprises six elected members from AJK and as many unelected members nominated by the chairman from amongst the federal cabinet. 

According to the AJK Constitution, when the office of the CJ is vacant for any reason, the AJK president can appoint the senior most of the other judges to act as CJ. 

Interestingly, currently both courts are being run by acting CJs. Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan is acting CJ in apex court since April 1, 2020 following the retirement of his predecessor Chaudhry Ibrahim Zia and Justice Azhar Saleem Babar is acting CJ in high court since Nov 16 last year after the nullification of the basic appointment of his predecessor M Tabassum Aftab Alvi, who was otherwise slated to retire on Feb 19, this year, on attaining superannuation. 

On Feb 17, the appeal of Mr Alvi against his dismissal was also turned down by the apex court. 

Official sources told this scribe that the summaries for [advice in favour of] the appointment of Justice Babar and Justice Khan as permanent CJs were sent by the AJK president to the office of chairman AJK Council in February and March, respectively, but so far there had not been any response. 

This, the legal fraternity in AJK believed, not only amounted to “brazen and perpetual violation” of the AJK Constitution but had also held back many judicial functions particularly consultation by the permanent CJs for the due appointments in superior courts.   

According to a dictum laid down by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the famous al-Jihad Trust case, which was also declared applicable to AJK’s judiciary by the AJK Supreme Court in Younus Tahir case, “the permanent vacancies occurring in the office of the CJ and judges normally should be filled in immediately not later than 30 days, but a vacancy occurring before the due date on account of death or for any reason should be filled in within 90 days, on permanent basis.”

“Since interpretation of constitutional points by the superior courts is considered to be the part of the Constitution, the inordinate delay in appointment of permanent CJs is therefore a brazen violation of the Constitution,” maintained Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas, vice chairman of the AJK Bar Council, in a statement. 

Several other legal community leaders including Khawaja Manzoor Qadir and Raja Asif Bashir, presidents, respectively, of the AJK supreme and high court bar associations, accused the AJK Council of “shirking from its constitutional and legal obligations by not sending the advice for appointment of permanent CJs."

“It seems to be a deliberate attempt to create constitutional vacuum in AJK which has caused serious concern among the legal circles in this territory,” they said.  

Apart from the AJK lawyers, Abid Saqi, vice chairman of Pakistan Bar Council, had also expressed concern over delay in appointment of permanent CJs in AJK.  

“Constitutional offices cannot be run on ad-hoc basis. This weakens the institutions, compromises their freedom and independence and subsequently hampers the process of dispensation of justice,” he said in a statement. 

Legal sources pointed out the institution of Service Tribunal had also become non-functional due to the non-appointment of permanent CJs, as the appointment of its chairman and member is made by the president after consultation with the permanent CJs.

The process for appointment against two vacant post of judges in superior courts could not be initiated as well, until the appointment of the permanent CJs, as according to the dictum laid down in al-Jihad Trust case, the mandatory constitutional requirement of consultation is not fulfilled by consulting an acting CJ, the sources added.

Ershad Mahmud, an Islamabad based office bearer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, maintained that Prime Minister Imran Khan believed that since the word “council” and not “chairman” had been used in the Constitution he alone could not furnish advice as chairman. 

“After consulting the federal law division, the prime minister had convened the sitting of Council members in the month of March on this issue but it had to be postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country,” he said. 

However, a senior AJK official, who didn’t want to be named, claimed that the previous chairmen had exercised their authority in this regard themselves instead of "discussing and deciding" this issue at the council’s sitting. 

Tariq Naqash 

Notice served on ex AJK chief justice in vehicle purchase case

The High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday ordered to serve notices on a former chief justice (CJ) of AJK Supreme Court and eight government officials for their comments in connection with a petition challenging the “unlawful” sale of an official vehicle to the former CJ at a “throwaway price.” 

The petition was filed by advocates Syed Zulqarnain Naqvi, Syed Yasir Ali Gillani and Waheed Awan and civil society activists Shahid Zaman Awan, Shahab Rathore and Yasir Hussain Mughal under Article 44 of the AJK Constitution, and was taken up by a single member bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Hussain Raja.  

Ex CJ Zia, according to a notification issued by the law, justice and parliamentary affairs department on April 2, was provided a 2007 model 5-door Parado (MD-GA-566) on the occasion of his retirement “at a depreciated cost of Rs 410699, worked out by a deputy commissioner of Inland Revenue Department.” 

The petitioners informed the bench that the said vehicle was purchased by the AJK government “on its book value” from almost defunct Azad Kashmir Logging and Sawmills (AKLAS) Corporation and placed at the strength of the Central Transport Pool of Services and General Administration (S&GAD) department.

From there, it was directly transferred to the AJK Supreme Court on Feb 17, where Rs 818,300 were spent on its “wear and tear” at a private workshop in Peshawar according to a voucher dated March 28, just few days before its transfer to Mr Zia at the “depreciated cost of Rs 410699.”  

Advocate Naqvi argued that according to the AJK Constitution the members of the superior judiciary in AJK were mandatorily entitled to the same salary, allowances, perks, privileges and post retirement benefits as were admissible to their counterparts in Pakistan.

In this regard, he also quoted the law and the rules prevalent in Pakistan regarding the engine capacity, fuel ceiling etc of official cars to be used and utilized by the judges as well as their provision to the retiring judges at depreciated cost.

The impugned April 2 notification when gauged upon the touchstone of the law and rules in vogue in Pakistan was absolutely illegal, perverse, without jurisdiction or any lawful authority and discriminatory, he contended. 

Mr Naqvi pleaded that the court should take serious stock of the matter and take all those involved in approving and facilitating the unlawful transfer to task. 

Taking up the petition, Justice Sadaqat Hussain Raja ordered issuance of notices to Mr Zia and eight other respondents, including the chief secretary, law secretary, S&GAD secretary, Accountant General, Transport Officer, Registrar and Drawing and Disbursing Officer of Supreme Court, and deputy commissioner Inland Revenue Department, to submit their comment before June 15.

The judge also referred the matter to Chief Justice Azhar Saleem Babar for constitution of a larger bench to hear this petition.  

Tariq Naqash

AJK govt to provide subsistence allowance to dependents of martyrs at LoC

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government will provide monthly “subsistence allowance” to the dependents of the persons killed along the Line of Control (LoC) after January 1, 2016 due to ceasefire violations by the Indian army.

A decision to this effect has been taken by the AJK cabinet at an exhaustive session, with Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider in the chair. 

According to Fayyaz Ali Abbasi, Senior Member AJK Board of Revenue (SMBR), an amendment has been inserted in the AJK Ceasefire Line Incidents Relief Act, 1992 to pave way for provision of subsistence allowance to the dependents of the martyrs “who were breadwinners of their respective families.”

“Every dependent of such person who has lost life in the incident shall be paid, on the recommendations of the competent officer or the board of officers, with relief of monthly subsistence allowance at the rate of Rs 2000,” Mr Abbasi informed, adding, widow(s) till remarriage; minor, unmarried and divorced or separated daughter(s) and sister(s), son(s) and brother(s) below the age of 25 years; parents and grandparents; and orphan grandchildren below the age of 25 years had been listed as dependents. 

He further told that as many as 171 persons, including women and children, had lost their lives in different parts of AJK in Indian shelling from Jan 1, 2016 to this day. 

In order to ensure transparency, the competent officer or the board of officers would recommend the beneficiaries after verification of the fact that the deceased LoC resident was the breadwinner of his or her family, Mr Abbasi said.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting, PM Haider said it was yet another milestone in the earnest endeavours of his government to alleviate the sufferings of the people affected by unprovoked and unrelenting ceasefire violations by the brute Indian army. 

“Those living along the dividing line are our first line of defence. No amount of money can compensate their sacrifices or substitute their contribution... This is a symbolic gesture to make it known to them that their government stands by them in their testing times,” he said. 

Mr Haider pointed out that Indian army was targeting AJK’s unarmed civilian population along the LoC in an attempt to push them back.

However, such tactics had always failed to demoralize brave residents, who were standing shoulder to shoulder with their armed forces to foil enemy’s nefarious designs, he said. 

“I have full realization of the problems of the people living along the ceasefire line. Allah willing, we will do our best to ensure that the state fulfills its responsibility of taking maximum possible care of the families affected by India’s aggression,” he added.  

 The prime minister recalled that it was his government that had enhanced the compensation money to Rs one million for the deceased persons at LoC, Rs 800,000 for persons with permanent disability and Rs 400,000 for persons with serious injuries, apart from other raises.  

Additionally, the government had also spent Rs 130 million from its Annual Development Programme for construction/improvement of bunkers, health facilities and link roads, in 13 constituencies of AJK assembly along the LoC over the past two years, he said.   

The affected families, he said, were also being included in the central government run Ehsaas Programme.

Tariq Naqash

Haider airs grievances about role of Pak govt, pol parties on Kashmir

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider on Saturday said not only the rulers but also the political parties in Pakistan had disappointed him with their role on Kashmir issue.

“I have grievances against everyone [in Pakistan]. Against the PML-N leadership, the PPP and other people who are always busy in a tug of war over power,” he said at a function to express solidarity with young victims of India’s savagery in occupied Kashmir as well as along the restive Line of Control (LoC) in AJK.

The function was held in Manak Payyan camp of post-1989 Kashmiri migrants along the right bank of River Jhelum in state capital Muzaffarabad.

“Do they not see [how] the people in occupied Kashmir drape the coffins of their loves ones with green Pakistani flags? It has been 154 days to the lockdown [of occupied Kashmir]; how many [leaders from Pakistan] have visited us,” he added.

Earlier, in his speech, refugee leader Uzair Ahmed Ghazali had stressed that the AJK premier should do some such thing for freedom of occupied Kashmir that had never been done from AJK over the past seven decades.

Responding to it, Mr Haider candidly said he did not possess any resources to take any such move and while alluding to Prime Minister Imran Khan added that those who possessed resources were saying that crossing the LoC amounted to enmity with the Kashmiris.

“I will also invite Prime Minister Imran Khan to visit Muzaffarabad and respond to the concerns of you people…It has been four and a half months, he has not looked back at us,” he said.

He said power was a momentary thing that rotated between the people.

“I have never bothered about power. As long as Allah wishes me to remain in this office no one will be able to dislodge me,” he said, and added: “[But] where are those people who do their politics in the name of Kashmir?”

The AJK premier paid tributes to the refugees for following the path of Holy Prophet (pbuh) by leaving their homes and hearths in occupied Kashmir in the wake of Indian repression. 

“You have not done a deal that causes loss. Allah willing you will be the people who will trample this bloody line [LoC] and enter the occupied territory as conquerors like Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions had entered Makkah,” he said.

He said India had not only unleashed terror in occupied Kashmir but also along the LoC where around 60 people had lost their lives in unprovoked Indian shelling in 2019.

He maintained that India was targeting civilian population along the LoC with a purpose to coerce them into dissociating themselves from freedom movement in the name of peace.

“I want to tell people living along the ceasefire line that until the eviction of last Indian soldier from occupied Jammu and Kashmir, you will have to remain vigilant and offer sacrifices.”

He vowed that AJK people would continue to support their oppressed brethren in occupied Kashmir.

At the end of the event, a rally was taken out on the premises of the camp with Prime Minster Haider and AJK minister for population welfare Dr Mustafa Bashir Abbasi among its participants.

Holding a banner, participants chanted anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.

“Hamara naa’ra sab pe bhaari, raye shumari raye shumari,” they shouted.

Tariq Naqash