New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) India on Friday slammed Pakistan for launching a crackdown on peaceful civilians in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and urged the international community to scrutinise Islamabad’s actions holding it accountable for its atrocities.
Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Pakistan’s disdain for the people of PoJK was reflected in the remarks made by country’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif where he described protesters as “enemies” of the country.
“The Pakistani establishment continues to unleash ruthless force against peaceful civilians in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This crackdown has resulted in the tragic death of over 40 innocent people, and many more have been seriously injured. It’s the establishment’s absolute disdain for the innocent people of PoJK was laid bare when their Defence Minister branded the protesting civilians as enemies,” said Jaiswal while responding to a question on the ongoing unrest in PoJK.
Khawaja Asif has defended Islamabad’s brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in PoJK, saying he considers the demonstrators as “enemies like India.”
Jaiswal also referred to the recent comments made on PoJK protests by Rana Sanaullah, the Special Assistant to Pakistan’s Prime Minister on political affairs, where he openly admitted about Pakistan’s support to anti-India terror groups.
“Adding to this, the Special Assistant of the Prime Minister on Political Affairs openly admitted that the very ‘mujahideen’ that Pakistani establishment trained, funded, armed and sent to India have now turned their guns inward, weaponising themselves against the state. The so-called elections stand as a humiliating rejection of the Pakistani establishment. Facing a violent regime, the people there have requested international organisations for an independent investigation into the unlawful killings. We urge that the international community should scrutinise Pakistan’s actions and hold it accountable for its atrocities.”
Over 40 people have been killed and hundreds critically injured during the ongoing protests and the long march organised by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in PoK.
Several videos posted on various social media handles, including that of the JAAC; have showed the brutality of Pakistani forces.
On Thursday, videos shared on social media showed women protesters running desperately to save their lives as local police unleashed terror and opened fire on a peaceful protest rally in PoK’s Kotli.
Dozens of civilians have been killed and hundreds injured during the ongoing protests in the region, including Rawalakot, Mirpur, and other areas of the occupied territory.
Expressing grave concern, local groups have said that more than 100 people have been killed since June 5, several hundred have been critically injured, and hundreds have reportedly been subjected to enforced disappearance by the Pakistani security forces.
–IANS
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