ARRESTS IN PAKISTANI OCCUPIED GILGIT-BALTISTAN, PAKISTAN SHOWS HER REAL FACE

Police has arrested top Kashmiri nationalist leadership in Pakistani Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB) including APNA chairman Mirza Wajahat Shah, Nadir Hassan, GBDA General Secretary Burhanullah, Shahid Hussain, Wazir Shafi and many students of Balawaristan National Students Organization while they were preparing for GBDA's 01st November's programme.

Government of Pakistan funds and provide logistic help to Non-State and pro Pakistan parties to promote their ideologies but whenever nationalists plan to do some activity, they are put behind bars.

This is a classical example of colonial control. Some of my friends call the situation strange. We feel it is not a strange situation. Throughout the history of human development, all occupying forces have always using such tactics to crush the movements of independence and to suppress the voice of masses.

What Pakistan is doing in POGB is the mere manifestation of their colonial rule. We should remember that we are occupied by Pakistan and India and occupying countries will try their level best to suppress our voice.

It is the time that we show Pakistan's real face to the international community and expose their real agenda.

Pakistan has always played with Kashmiries struggle for independence and in this dirty game has caused enormous loss to the struggle for independence.

It is pity that some Kashmiries still believe that Pakistan will help Kashmiries to achieve their goal of independence. All Non-State parties advocate that Pakistan is champion for the Kashmiries struggle for independence and that we must salute Pakistan's role.

These elements always preach that majority of Kashmiries is Muslim and thus Kashmir must accede to Pakistan as Pakistan is also a Muslim country.

But some fascinating facts and factors about this presumption of accession to Pakistan must be kept in mind.

Pakistan is claimed to be a Muslim country but we do not agree to this assertion. Pakistan may be anything but it is a fact beyond any doubt that she is not a Muslim country. The style of governance in Pakistan is millions of miles away from Islam. Whatever Muslims are doing in Pakistan in the name of Islam is known to everyone. Bomb blasts, suicide attacks and armed clashes among various religious groups in the name of Islam is everyday episode in Pakistan. Sunni, Shia, Wahabi, Ahmedi, Bohri, Parveezi, Ismaeeli and many more such sects, all believing that they are only Muslims and rest of them are non Muslims. This is Pakistan's Islam.

When Pakistan was created in 1947, there were over 50 Muslim countries, two of them namely Afghanistan and Iran were bordering the areas proposed to be included in Pakistan, but yet the decision was taken to create an independent Pakistan. Can we ask why? If countries are to be created in the name of religion or to be acceded to other countries in the name of religion then why Pakistan was created and not acceded to other Muslim countries which already existed?

If Pakistan expects Kashmir to accede to Pakistan, why Pakistan herself does not accede to Iran? It is the same principle. If the principle cannot be followed for Pakistan why it should be followed for Kashmir? Can somebody give us just one good reason for accession to Pakistan?

In fact Pakistan died in 1972. Should we consider Bangladesh (previously East Pakistan) as Pakistan or present Pakistan (previously West Pakistan) as Pakistan? The Pakistan (both East Pakistan and West Pakistan together) which was created in 1947 comprised present Bangladesh (previously East Pakistan) and present Pakistan (previously West Pakistan). More people inhabited in East Pakistan than West Pakistan and that majority decided to create their own country. This country was named Bangladesh (previously East Pakistan). This was majority's decision within Pakistan and they had all right to decide about their future. This decision of the majority was also accepted by minority Pakistan (present Pakistan or previously West Pakistan). Where has the ideology of the creation of a country in the name of Islam gone? Where is Pakistan now? Is Bangladesh not a Muslim country? Why should we accede to Pakistan now whereas Pakistanis themselves have decided to burry the concept of a country in the name of Islam?

Thus all arguments for Kashmir's accession to Pakistan are outdated, bogus and false.

But Pakistan still supports and funds people forwarding such arguments.

Pakistan does not even know whether she will survive other twenty years down the line and what will be the future of the region called Pakistan? In such circumstances people still believing in accession to Pakistan can only be categorised as those living in fools' paradise.

We must understand that we have to fight these elements if we are serious to achieve our goal of national independence.

Arrests in Pakistani Occupied Gilgit are another proof that Pakistan is an occupier and we are oppressed nation.

To defeat our colonial masters we need a solid understanding and alliance. But any such alliance should be independent itself. Puppets of colonial masters should not be allowed to join our ranks. If we cannot do that, our goal will drift away further.

There are some alliances which already exist. We suggest purifying all such alliances. It is the primary need of the hour to expel all such elements from the alliances who receive guidelines from the colonial masters. In fact presence of such elements in the alliances glides us away from our national goal.

APNA includes some elements who are paid by colonial masters to figure out the shape of our struggle. Similarly JKLF (Amman Ullah Khan) is also sitting in an alliance comprising of such elements who are working on the agenda drafted by one of our colonial masters.

By now JKLF (Amman Ullah Khan) must have realised that they have chosen erroneous companions, who are not only failing to support JKLF (A) but are in fact opposing JKLF (A)'s struggle.

It is still not too late. Let us learn from our past mistakes and determine a new course of action. This is the only way to move forward.

Our resolutions are as under:

1. We strongly condemn the arrests in POG and demand immediate release of all the detainees.

2. 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.

3. All political forces in all parts of divided Kashmir must immediately reject the POGB package and ask Pakistani authorities to immediately halt their all actions in POGB.

4. All Pakistani and Indian lent officers from Kashmir's soil must immediately be returned and the posts must be filled in with local civil servants.

5. All foreign armed forces must leave Kashmir. We urge 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.

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

"Nations fancy independence, masses necessitate uprising and countries desire autonomy"
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Professor Sajjad Raja – President JKNAP (UK)