THE Pakistani establishment is fast losing its oppressive game in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with unrest assuming the form of a new revolution for freedom in the occupied territories. The police and security forces have resorted to firing to quell the furious mobs even as the death toll is rising each passing day. The crackdown has exposed the brazen tactics used by the Pakistani establishment to control the region that the country has illegally occupied. The situation has reached the point of an armed anarchy as the frustrated residents of PoK are seeking a final battle against the authoritative regime controlling their lives. It is, indeed, time for the world to wake up and intervene in the matter of gross human rights violation by a brutal government ruling from Islamabad through its proxies in PoK. That the Pakistan government is losing its grip on the situation in PoK can be gauged from the statement by Defence Minister Mr. Khawaja Asif who has termed protesters in PoK as “enemies like India”.

 

Mr. Asif has ruled out any dialogue with the protesters even as his security agencies are indulging in killing of dozens of activists of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Rough estimates have shown that over 50 people have been killed by Pakistani forces while more than double the number is critically injured in the brutal crackdown on civilians. The JAAC is the face of the revolt in PoK as it decided to oppose the forced and rigged elections in the region. India has already called the election process in PoK as a sham as the territories where the polls are being held are sovereign part of Jammu and Kashmir. The plot is unravelling for Pakistan and its frustration is reflected in Mr. Asif’s comparison of the protesters with “enemies like India”. Pakistan has been crying foul about the protests which the government believes is a handiwork of India. Similar allegations are levelled against India for the armed revolt in Balochistan where the liberation groups are slowly gaining control of the restive provinces. The allegations are part of Pakistan’s playbook as it looks for clues to control the situation in Balochistan and PoK. Holding India responsible is the easiest way out for Pakistani politicians to keep the domestic audience quiet about their administrative failures. Mr. Asif is using the same language to hide the excesses of Pakistani forces against the civilians. Occupied Kashmir has always remained a pain-point for the Pakistani establishment.

 

The civilians have a disdain for the government and its stooges ruling the political machinery in the region. Pro-India sentiment has dominated the region ever since Pakistan illegally grabbed the region decades ago. The provinces have shown a dislike for the local administration ruled by parties operating out of Islamabad. The government has been using force to quell revolts in PoK but with limited success. This time, the situation is spiralling out of Pakistan’s control despite use of brute force. The excesses committed by Pakistani forces on the civilians in PoK have become a rallying point for people and the JAAC has taken up cudgels for one last battle against the oppressive rulers. The situation in PoK needs urgent intervention by the international community for a simple reason that thousands of civilian lives are at stake.

 

There is an immediate risk of further casualties as security deployment has gone up to an alarming level. Restricted communication and limited media access have ensured that the real picture in PoK remains masked. The world might never know the magnitude of the human rights crisis in the region. With Mr. Asif openly terming the civilians in the region as enemies, there is a grave danger of Pakistan using its army to attack the protesters. If the international community does not take steps to stop Pakistan from the excesses, then a mass slaughter of people cannot be ruled out. It is time for New Delhi, too, to take necessary steps and save innocent lives owing allegiance to their rightful motherland -- India.