People of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) are facing the worst type of oppression. Even their small issues are not being addressed to remedy. It once again became apparent while Deputy Commissioner of occupied Poonch Rawalakot held an open court in Thorar to listen to the problems of local Kashmiris.
A local Kashmiri vocally spoke over the issues faced by the people and exposed the persecution by Islamabad imposed administration in POJK. While talking about the problems, one of the individuals stated that their forests have been encroached upon by the mafias, the burial grounds are being captured and partitioned into plots for residential blocs. To the worse, the occupying police has failed miserably in dealing with the theft cases. He said that no theft case has been solved by the police in Thorar, while there have been multiple cases with the amount as huge as Rs. 8 lakhs.
Moreover, he also raised a question on the unavailability of doctors in Thorar. He stated that despite being the sub-district headquarters, no doctor has been posted in Thorar. For quite some time, they have been demanding a doctor, but their demands are still not met. There are thousands of people living in Thorar who trusted the administration and that the administration should be ashamed of the fact that they have failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people.
No doctor, power cuts, indiscriminate tax
Taking on the DC, he said that he should be ashamed that he is using vehicles worth crores in the name of protocol while the common women and girls are forced to walk barefooted. Meanwhile, the other Kashmiris present chanted “shame! shame!”
The individual exposed the DC by saying that the DC should have come there after having posted a doctor for 24 hours service. He outrightly denied the payment of electricity bills saying that whether they provide electricity or not, no Kashmiri will pay the electricity bills.
Citing the occupying government’s tax as “gunda tax” (goon’s tax) he, on behalf of Kashmiris said that their ancestors have sacrificed their lives for Kashmir and they would never pay this “gunda tax” and warned that if the electricity supply would be cut off in the name of load shedding, the Neelam-Jhelum transmission line would pass through their dead bodies.
Exposing Pakistan’s policies of governing from above and wrong propaganda of so-called Azad Kashmir, the vocal Kashmiri man asked the DC about why an officer is always sent from Pakistan while the region also has educated and capable youth. He stated that Kashmiris don’t consider the police as theirs.
He also lambasted DC for his earlier statement that POJK is filled with terrorists. The individual claimed that Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir is filled with people demanding their rights, who are persecuted not the terrorists. He stated that Kashmiris has the first right on the resources of the region and asked how is it sane to call the ones fighting for their rights as terrorists.
Kashmiri accepting reality
Notably, Pakistan has always tried to set a narrative that the part of Kashmir under their illegal occupation is free and is on the path of prosperity, however the fearless and righteous voice in front of a Deputy Commissioner in Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir conspicuously defied Pakistan’s propaganda. While the people of POJK have now accepted the reality, it is only the international organisations that needs to see this reality and come out of the Pakistani policy of fake PR.