PoK protest against China
People in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) don’t want Chinese interference in their region that’s why they often raise their voices against its presence. People recently gathered for massive protest and torch rally against construction of two mega-dams by China in the region. The people took to the streets in Muzaffarabad district, and slammed the proposed construction over the rivers – Neelam and Jhelum.
PoK protest against China
The members of the protest organizing committee – ‘Darya Bachao, Muzaffarabad Bachao’ (Save Rivers Save Muzaffarabad) – were shouting slogans, such as ‘Neelum Jhelum Behne Do, Humein Zinda Rehne Do’. Earlier, in July, agreements were signed between Pakistan and China to build two huge hydel projects – Azad Pattan and Kohala Hydropower – in the PoK region.
Since the two dams on the rivers are set to be built by Chinese firms, the locals of PoK fear Chinese entry as an existential threat to the population of the region. The people have concerns that the dams will pose some disruptions in their lives. Though they often condemn Chinese presence in region, Pakistan remains committed to sell their freedom to a third party nation.
Earlier in August, a large protest erupted in PoK against China-funded dam construction over the Neelum and Jhelum rivers. Over 1,000 protestors came out in the district of Muzaffarabad of PoK to condemn the construction by the communist country. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has started many China-funded projects, including the dam construction, in PoK.
Recent protests expose Pakistan
Earlier in 2016, China constructed the Gwadar Port under CPEC, and holds the total control over it. The locals in PoK believe that the government sitting in Islamabad has become a puppet in the hands of Beijing. The locals say that any of the mega-schemes under CPEC are of no use to them. And this will result in more water scarcity in many districts of PoK that are already thirst-ridden, they add.
China’s presence and control are rapidly increasing in Pakistan. So, unrest among population of conflicted regions, like Muzaffarabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Sindh, is growing with rising demands for freedom. People often protest against the brutality of security forces and police. It’s common in Azad Kashmir and PoK, and also in Balochistan and Sindh provinces.
Pakistan has been voilating human rights of people in all these regions since decades. Even after losing East Pakistan for same reason. Recently, the Director-General of Public Relations of PoK called for freedom from the Islamic nation. He cited massive human rights violation of the residents by the government and administration of Pakistan in over 70 years since it occupied the region.
Rising demands of freedom from Pakistan
People of Sindh have been protesting for many years in the country against violation of their human rights. And also against most benefits of the country’s resources going to people of Punjab province. Sindhi people demand independence from Pakistan, and a separate Sindh country. They, recently, held a massive peaceful protest in Karachi against illegal arrests and enforced disappearances of several men and women.
In Balochistan, the Baloch Liberation Army holds protests against human rights violation time and again. It demands for separate Baloch country and independence from Pakistan. In a recent violent protest in Brabchah town near Afghanistan border, Pakistani security forces had to abandon their check-posts. They fled to save their lives from the Baloch protesters.
In all these years, Pakistan has forgotten that PoK and Azad Kashmir are territories of India, not its own that it can use these regions and their citizens as per its convenience. Beijing’s support and money has made Islamabad so mad that it is selling the areas and people of some other country to the dragon. It seems Pakistan as well as China needs an apt lesson from Indian forces at the earliest.
