In a disturbing and heartbreaking incident, the rogue Pakistan Army has once again displayed its oppressive nature by abducting six innocent Kashmiri youths. These young individuals were engaged in a selfless act of cleaning and maintaining a cemetery in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). This heinous act sheds light on the true face of oppression and injustice that persists in the region.
Children abducted for terror training
During a press conference, Maulana Khalil, the chief of the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir Traders’ Association (POJK), revealed that most of the missing children hail from various areas in PoK, including Muzaffarabad, Balakot, Rawalkot, Noorkot, Nowshera Samani, and Bagh. Maulana Khalil expressed his shock at the situation and suggested that these abductions appear to be pre-planned.
While Maulana Khalil did not directly accuse the Pakistan Army or ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), it is obvious that they are involved in providing training to the abducted children in terror camps. Operating such camps without the blessings or involvement of the Pakistan Army or ISI is not possible.
Local bodies have also alleged that Paki establishment is attempting to alter the demographics of PoJK by settling non-Kashmiris, particularly those of Punjabi origin, in the region.
This is not the first time that the Pakistan Army has abducted innocent civilians in PoJK. In recent years, hundreds of missing persons have been reported, including members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party. Many of these missing persons are the sole breadwinners of their families, and their disappearance has caused immense hardship and suffering.
The Pakistan Army has been accused of using torture and other inhumane treatment against detainees. In many cases, detainees have been held incommunicado for months or even years without charge or trial.
Human rights groups have repeatedly called on the Pakistan government to investigate the disappearances and to bring those responsible to justice. However, no meaningful action to address this issue has been taken so far.
Locals resist abduction attempts
In 2020, in Rawalakot city, Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), brave residents prevented an abduction attempt by Pakistan Army’s agents targeting a Kashmiri youth named Nauman. A video shared by the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) captured the moment when locals intervened. They smashed the abductors’ vehicle, broke its windows, and confronted the kidnappers, who claimed to be from the Federal Investigating Agency (FIA) but were accused of carrying fake identity cards.
Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir has been a hotspot for terror activities against India for a long period. It was the target of surgical strikes by the Indian military following the Uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
The abduction of Kashmiri youths and children raises serious human rights concerns and highlights the need for international attention and intervention. Under illegal occupation of Pakistan, PoJK has suffered for decades. The calls for justice and an end to such abductions grow louder each day, and the we must not remain silent in the face of such atrocities.