FairPoint: Blood in PoK exposes Pakistan's narrative, silence of Kashmiri leaders

New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS) It is ironic that Pakistan, which calls Kashmir its "jugular vein", has unleashed a reign of terror in the illegally occupied part of India's union territory. Innocent civilians are being mercilessly killed, communication lines have been cut, and their tales of horror are deliberately suppressed.

Yet, videos emerging from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have exposed the falsehood Islamabad has been peddling since 1947. They have also unmasked those who, for decades, mischievously amplified anti-India propaganda regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

For over 35 years, separatist voices claimed that the Muslim majority in J&K was "subjugated". Pakistan-backed leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabir Shah, Yasin Malik, Abdul Gani Bhat, and others bitterly attacked the Indian government while openly advocating Pakistan's cause.

Their sinister campaign, disguised under the slogan of "azadi", included the forced exodus of Hindus from the valley, clearing the way for an Islamic Kashmir to merge with Pakistan. But their lies never materialised. After the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir has been fully integrated with the Union of India.

And, today, Pakistan's sustained lies about Kashmir are haunting its rulers. The uprising in PoK not only shatters their narrative but also exposes the forces within India who aligned themselves with Islamabad's propaganda and still are swayed by Pakistan's deceit.

Curiously, those who accuse India of human rights violations in Kashmir are silent about Pakistan's atrocities in PoK. Where are the so-called champions of "human rights" now? Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Sajad Lone, Engineer Rashid, and members of the banned separatist groups are silent.

These leaders never hesitate to raise their voice against human rights violations -- rare as they are -- but remain quiet when the Pakistani Army massacres its own people. Shouldn't they be leading protests in the streets? The selective silence has laid bare their hypocrisy.

Instead of speaking out, some leaders continue to provoke valley youth against the Indian government. Mehbooba Mufti, for instance, posted on X: "From Uttarakhand to Ladakh & across the border in Kashmir, Gen Z is rising. Because when your future feels bleak & your dreams are shattered -- resistance knows no borders."

By equating Pakistan's brutal crackdown with domestic issues, she avoided condemning the violence in PoK -- perhaps to avoid upsetting Pakistan's deep state. But leaders like her must recognise that today's blood-soaked PoK is the result of seven decades of rot created by Pakistan itself.

The people of PoK are demanding bread, electricity, education, hospitals, jobs, and dignity. Instead of building industries and schools, Pakistan's rulers have turned PoK into a hub of terror camps. Since 1988, it has been used as a launchpad for terrorism against India. India's surgical strikes -- and the recent Operation Sindoor -- have destroyed many of these camps, eliminating hundreds of terrorists.

In stark contrast, today's Jammu and Kashmir is on a path of peace and prosperity. Crores of tourists are visiting, businesses are thriving, and the Central government schemes are reaching villages. The development is now reaching the grassroots and the marginalised.

This sharp contrast has shaken the PoK residents. While J&K enjoys peace, prosperity, education, and healthcare, PoK continues to struggle for basic needs. The ongoing uprising should serve as an eye-opener for those in Kashmir misled into believing that Pakistan can offer a "better life" because it is an Islamic country. If that were true, why has PoK erupted in protest?

What we are witnessing in PoK is a grassroots revolution against decades of exploitation -- against hunger, unemployment, poor healthcare, lack of education, elitist privilege, and systemic corruption.

This unrest has been simmering for years, but came to the fore in May 2023 when people protested against skyrocketing electricity bills and wheat shortages.

The movement, led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), intensified in May 2024 with a long march to Muzaffarabad. Protesters were killed in violent clashes, and the agitation was temporarily halted with hollow promises by Islamabad. But discontent only grew, erupting again on September 29, when JAAC marched against the government's failure to meet 38 demands. Pakistani forces opened indiscriminate fire, killing many. Visuals showed soldiers firing from hilltops at unarmed civilians.

India has rightly condemned this brutality, reiterating that PoK remains under Pakistan's forcible and illegal occupation, and has urged the international community to hold Islamabad accountable for its gross human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, Kashmiri Muslim leaders -- both political and religious -- remain conspicuously silent. Their silence is louder than words, exposing the decades-long "Kashmir game" they have played, one that has benefited only themselves while sacrificing the truth and the people.

The unrest in PoK should be an eye-opener for Kashmiris still misled by Pakistani propaganda. If Pakistan truly cared for Muslims, PoK would not be burning. The people of PoK are rejecting Pakistan, not because of religion but because of decades of exploitation. Kashmiris must see through the false promises sold to them for decades.

PoK's uprising has laid bare the truth: Pakistan's "jugular vein" rhetoric is a big lie.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)

--IANS

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