Srinagar, Aug 4 (IANS) Human rights defender and Association of Terror Victims of Kashmir (ATVK) Chairperson Tasleema Akhter has strongly criticised Pakistan over its handling of the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), accusing the Pakistani government of suppressing dissent, violating human rights and using force against protesters.
Speaking in Srinagar, Akhter alleged that the people of PoK were being denied their basic rights and urged Pakistan to address their grievances instead of resorting to violence.
“They have created graveyards stretching from Rawalakot to Mirpur. And look at the elections taking place in Muzaffarabad — they are neither transparent nor fair. For God’s sake, let your people live. For God’s sake, acknowledge the rights they are demanding; they are asking for their due rights, not begging for charity. It is their own land; they have a right to it,” she said.
Akhter further accused the Pakistani government of behaving like a dictatorship while claiming to champion freedom.
“You are a dictatorship government, and you speak about freedom. You are a bloodthirsty government. The whole world is watching how you are spilling people’s blood. Protests are being held against this government because the truth is now out. The dictatorship has been exposed. Listen to their demands and give them what they want,” she said.
Drawing a comparison with governance in India, Akhter said democratic institutions in the country respond to public concerns.
“In our locality there were protests, but it was commendable that our government heard us. Recently, our Union Education Minister resigned in the interests of the youth. Pakistan should learn how a government should function. Pakistan can never be compared with India,” she added.
PoK has witnessed escalating protests in recent weeks, with demonstrators alleging excessive use of force by Pakistani authorities.
According to reports, PoK is currently witnessing one of the most extensive confrontations between the local population and the Pakistani state in decades. The protests reportedly began on June 5 and have continued to intensify.
Protesters have alleged that Pakistani security forces launched a severe crackdown in which more than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured over the past several weeks.
Earlier on Monday, the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) shared a video on X that it claimed showed Pakistani security personnel dragging and assaulting an unarmed civilian on a road in Muzaffarabad.
The organisation urged the United Nations, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, international media organisations and diplomatic missions to examine the footage, independently verify the facts and press for an immediate, independent and impartial investigation into the reported incidents.
–IANS
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