Opinion | POK Questions Pakistan’s Fraud Narrative, Impressed By Naya Kashmir

Pakistan has been in illegal and forcible occupation of approximately 78,000 sq. kms. of Indian Territory in Jammu and Kashmir. China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms. in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, under the so-called `Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963`, Pakistan illegally ceded 5180 sq. kms. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China.

The Truth in between in the name of “Jihad,” the worst and most infamous era of business based on human killings, lootings and humiliation began in the 90’s. The destruction that crushed Kashmiris, in the name of this holy jihad resulted in the loss of human life, damage of property, displacement of people, and death of thousands of young people who were martyred on both sides of the ceasefire line. Children were forced to quit school, and their childhood was snatched. POK was made the centre hub for training purposes and hundreds of Launching pads, Training centres were created to lure young youth from POK, Jammu Kashmir to fight against India.  Kashmiris were made ‘Bali ka bakra’ for about 33 years now to fight against their own country India. However 33 years on, Pakistan’s Kashmir policy has borne no fruits for regular Pakistanis, other than polarising society and instilling hate against India. They only terrorised the people across borders to channelize their strategy. Now POK has awakened from deep slumber and are up in arms to fight PAKISTAN.

The current state of affairs Pakistan has divided POK into 2 parts i.e. Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The population of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir(Azad Kashmir+Gilgit Baltistan) is Approx. 52 lac in 2020. Pakistan occupied Kashmir has sometimes turned to military rule and, at other times to autocratic leaders.  Pakistan is repeatedly sponsoring terrorist organizations and POK has been made the centre for that. Government remains continually vigilant and is firm in its resolve to take all necessary steps to effectively safeguard India’s security and territorial integrity. The Government of India is aware that Pakistan and China are executing projects in Indian territories under illegal occupation of those countries. The Government of India keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India’s national interest and takes all necessary measures to safeguard it.

THE COMPARATIVE: Two Kashmirs – Economic Analysis

The economic disparities between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are indeed significant. The Indian government has invested heavily in the development of Jammu and Kashmir, with a substantial annual budget allocation. This investment has helped maintain a higher Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth rate for Jammu and Kashmir compared to PoK.  The budget of J&K stood at Rs 1,18,500 crore ($14.5 billion), while Pakistan sought $7 billion from the IMF.

According to Pakistan’s monthly economic report for March 2023, the country is currently facing a shortage in liquidity. The report states that the Pakistani government is “firmly inclined to successfully complete the IMF’s EFF program, which includes necessary policy measures and will bring additional relief to the financial account of the balance of payments.”

The stark contrast between the budgets of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan highlights the vast difference in the economic growth and development between the two regions.

While Jammu and Kashmir is investing in infrastructure and development projects, Pakistan is struggling to meet its basic financial obligations. The situation in PoK is also concerning, with the federal government reducing its budget and exacerbating the region’s economic woes.

There is no comparison between PoK’s capital city Muzaffarabad with Srinagar or Jammu, the twin capitals of J-K. It’s like comparing metropolitan cities of Mumbai and Kolkata to a provincial town in India.

According to an article in IndiaToday, after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian government on August 5, 2019, the Jammu & Kashmir administration, over time, received investment proposals worth an estimated Rs 15,000 crore from around 40 companies in sectors such as information technology, defence, renewable energy, tourism, skilling, education, hospitality and infrastructure.

While the newly carved Union territory of J&K is on the path of development, POK languishes as an underdeveloped region as a result of Islamabad’s characterisation of it as a hub of terrorism. According to an article published in Indiandefencereview.com , (Pakistan occupied Kashmir – The Future trajectory) the so called Azad Kashmir (AJK) is governed under the Azad Kashmir Interim Constitution Act passed in 1974.

Even though AJK has a President, Prime minister, and a council, the governing structure is totally powerless and dependent on the Pakistani establishment for the smallest issue at hand. Very often AJK is described as a “constitutional enigma” with “trappings of a country”. The Karachi Agreement, which governs the rule of Pakistan over GilgitBaltistan, was signed between the President of Azad Kashmir, the Muslim Conference and a minister without portfolio from Pakistan, Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani. Even though there was no formal merger between AJK and GilgitBaltistan, the fate of the latter was decided by Prime Minister AJK and Pakistan with no local representative participating in the matter.

POK’s strategic geographic location has consistently been “leveraged” by Pakistan to fulfil its “strategic and economic objectives.

Militant Training POK Safe Haven

The situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is complex and has been a source of regional tension for many years. POK has for long provided safe haven to homegrown terrorists of Pakistan – both those operating in Kashmir Valley and those having close links with al-Qaeda and Taliban. The LeT operates freely in the area as Jamaat ud-Dawa (JuD).

People in POK have faced neglect from the Pakistan government for decades. Pakistan has been accused of sheltering terrorists for years in its territory and its occupied region as reports suggest that more than 20 terrorist training camps are still operating in the country and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

According to a report with the Global Watch Analysis, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) continues to support the proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir by aiding and abetting terrorism through terrorist outfits including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

Sectarian Divide

The demography in Gilgit Baltistan in POK has changed so much that the Shia, the original inhabitants of the land, have become a minority. Anti-Shia terrorist groups such as Jaish, LeT, and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen have also set-up terror training camps in GB. In recent protests in POK Shia Muslims raised slogans of Kargil Chalo meaning they love India and want to come back and leave Pakistan. But the reality is that POK and GB are part of India.

Sunnis from Pakistan were given lucrative job offers and other incentives to settle in POK. President Zia intended to shift the demographic balance of POK in favour of Pakistan, primarily a Sunni state, and the orders to this effect were carried out strictly. It was just a strategy to create ruckus in POK and GB areas to keep them away from seeking the true Azadi from Pakistan.

As I conclude my piece, Let me put it here as; As Pakistan has just used POK as a haven for terrorism. Its propaganda machinery has always misled people in the Valley in particular and Muslims in general the world about the imaginary bad situation in Kashmir. The reality is that PoK is one of the most exploitative and unfortunate regions of the world today due to Islamabad’s brutal policies.  However it is time for the Kashmiris to raise their voices against Pakistan and its establishment and fight for their rights and most important fight for Azaadi – Azadi from Pakistan and to strengthen the demand for re union with India (their country).

Pakistani military generals and feudal politicians do not even think that residents of PoK are human beings. They have extracted limited resources of the region in a way that today they are left with nothing. They have been completely brutalized and alienated.  It is time for PoK to rebel.

– The writer is a renowned Political Commentator, Author and Policy Observer. He is the most active TV Panelist from Kashmir on India Pakistan and China.