POLICE IS TRYING TO ARREST JKNAP AND JKNSF LEADERS

JKNAP and JKNSF had jointly given a call for the siege of the Legislative Assembly of POAK (Pakistani Occupied Azad Kashmir) on 24 October 2009. The purpose was to reject the Gilgit-Baltistan package and denounce the unconstitutional acts of Pakistan and their conspiracy to divide Kashmir.

Workers of JKNAP and JKNSF from all over POAK gathered in Muzaffarabad to lay siege of the Legislative Assembly of POAK. They had started arriving in Muzaffarabad on 23 October 2009. All caravans arriving in Muzaffarabad were welcomed by JKNAP central president Sardar Liaqat Hayat Khan and JKNSF central president Raja Saba Hussain. According to JKNAP and JKNSF tradition,, at night on 23 October 2009 JKNAP and JKNSF took out a candle bearing rally. This rally was attended by hundreds of JKNAP and JKNSF workers. Sardar Liaqat Hayat and Raja Saba Hussain announced that they will remain peaceful and will siege the Legislative Assembly to protest against the hostile annexation of POGB to Pakistan in opposition to the wishes of Kashmiri public.

On 24 October 2009 local workers of JKNAP and JKNSF from Muzaffarabad started gathering by Gul Nawaz Butt Memorial early in the morning. Sardar Liaqat Hayat Khan and Raja Saba Hussain addressed the gathering before the march began.

By the scheduled time of procession, this assembly of the workers of JKNAP and JKNSF had grown into thousands. The procession began in a very peaceful and democratic manner. On the way to the Legislative Assembly, many small processions of local communities joined this march and by every passing yard the procession grew in strength.

This situation riddled the government and Pakistani occupying agencies. They decided to disrupt the programme to divert masses attention from the core issue of Gilgit-Baltistan. Thus Pakistan Army was ordered to pass through the procession.

The demonstrators stopped Pakistan Army and then with the help from Police, Army unleashed their rage on the peaceful poor demonstrators.

The demonstrators were baton charged and tear gas was shelled from all the four corners on the demonstrators. This shelling suffocated many young and elderly protestors.

The procession kept on proceeding towards the Legislative Assembly as planned but eventually Pakistan Army and Police stopped the demonstrators near Old Civil Secretariat by blocking the roads and shelling teargas heavily onto the protestors.

Tens of demonstrators were injured, some seriously where as so far ten workers have been arrested. Police is aggressively searching for other leaders and workers of JKNAP and JKNSF.

Army has registered an FIR against eighteen leaders of JKNAP and JKNSF including Sardar Liaqat Hayat Khan and Raja Saba Hussain, and has alleged that JKNAP and JKNSF have beaten up army officials, seized arms and ammunition from the Army and have destroyed Army's vehicles.

Civil administration has registered a separate FIR against the leaders of JKNAP and JKNSF. Police is now searching every nook and corner of Muzaffarabad city to arrest the leadership of JKNAP and JKNSF.

JKNAP and JKNSF have declared 27 October 2009 as a Black Day and have given a call to protest against the brutal crackdown of Pakistan Army and police on the peaceful procession of JKNAP and JKNSF.

Central President of JKNAP Sardar Liaqat Hayat Khan and central president of JKNSF Raja Saba Hussain have urged all democratic, peace loving and nationalist forces to mark 27 October 2009 as a Black Day against the atrocities of Pakistan Army and police. They have demanded immediate release of all arrested workers and withdrawal of bogus FIRs.

Civil administration is warned that if JKNAP and JKNSF demands are not met then the responsibility of any outcome and law and order situation will rest with the civil administration.

We question how unarmed, defenceless, unprotected and vulnerable peaceful demonstrators can seize arms and ammunition from armed personnel of regular Pakistan Army?

This all is a stage show by Army and the arena is being set to harass, persecute and crush JKNAP and JKNSF who have given forceful power and fuel to the voice of Kashmiri masses to transform their views into dynamic national struggle against all occupants.

Since 19 July 2009 in Rawlakot, this is the second time, Pakistan army has directly involved with the civil administration to curb the procession of JKNAP and JKNSF.

This direct involvement from Pakistan Army shows that they do not trust Police to crush JKNAP and JKNSF. The reason being, JKNAP and JKNSF rule the hearts and minds of Kashmiri masses. We are basically fighting for the rights of Kashmiries; and Police also consist of Kashmiri State Subjects, who do realise that JKNAP and JKNSF are fighting their own (all State Subjects) war against the foreign occupying forces.

Remember this is battle of hearts and minds. You rule the land as you have got guns to rule the land, but we rule the hearts and minds of Kashmiri masses. You can win any battle to gain control of the land, but you are deemed to loose all battles to win the hearts and minds of masses.

We once again announce that no power of foreign occupants can stop us from demanding our basic human rights. We are ready to lay down our lives. We are the caravan of martyrs. We are the followers of Liaqat Aiwan, Farrukh Qureshi, Sajjad Anjum, Faheem Akram, Sardar Amjad, Raja Behzad and many other martyrs of our movement.

The occupants know that our workers never show their backs when they come face to face with foreign occupiers; and the Line of Control is witness of the courage of our comrades, which we show when facing the bullets from army.

It is better the occupants see writing on the wall; JKNAP and JKNSF rule the hearts and minds of Kashmiri masses and no foreign occupant can suppress this national force and voice of Kashmir.

We feel that sitting Prime Minister of POAK is man of letters, his political character and personal integrity is beyond any doubt. His father has fought a long battle for an Independent Kashmir and we rightly expect that the Prime Minister will have full regard for his father's political legacy.

Thus we demand from the Prime Minister to immediately order release of all arrested workers and if occupying Pakistani forces do not let him do this, he must order Police to stay away from any confrontation and then we will deal with Pakistan Army ourselves.

JKNAP and JKNSF urge all those who consider themselves as true Kashmiries to join hands with JKNAP and JKNSF to support the national cause of Kashmir.

Our demands are as follow:

1. All arrested workers of JKNAP and JKNSF are immediately released.

2. Bogus FIRs against the leaders of JKNAP and JKNSF lodged by Pakistan Army be immediately withdrawn.

3. POGB (Pakistani Occupied Gilgit – Baltistan) package must immediately be withdrawn as it is a conspiracy for the division of Kashmir which deceitfully and dishonestly has been agreed upon by both occupants of our motherland, i.e. India and Pakistan.

4. The newly elected prime minister of POAK declares the "Free Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir" as a real free government.

5. The prime minister must immediately reject the POGB package and ask Pakistani authorities to immediately halt their all actions in POGB.

6. The prime minister must immediately remove all Pakistani lent officers from POK soil and replace them with local civil servants.

7. The prime minister must immediately order all foreign armed forces to leave and ask all peace loving countries to recognise the "Free Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir" as a legitimate representative administration of the liberated territories of Kashmir.

8. A confederation of POAK and POGB is immediately formulated to immediately denounce and deflect from the annexation of Gilgit-Baltistan area of northern Kashmir.

9. The prime minister must immediately move a resolution against this so called Gilgit-Baltistan package in POAK Legislative Assembly.

10. The prime minister must immediately call all parties conference in Muzaffarabad to create consensus for the restoration of 04 October 1947's Republic of Kashmir; which was the real representative Government of Kashmiri people as popular rebellion overthrew Maharaja Kashmir Government in 1947.

11. The prime minister must immediately get a resolution passed from POAK Legislative Assembly to end all colonial institutions like Ministry of Kashmir affairs and Kashmir Council which have been imposed by Pakistan.

12. The prime minister must immediately remove all discriminatory clauses of act 74 and summon the Legislative Assembly to formulate a new constitution to reflect the aspirations of Kashmiri masses.

"Nations fancy independence, masses necessitate uprising and countries desire autonomy"