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Professor Sajjad Raja, Chairman of the National Equality Party for Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, and Ladakh (NEP-JKGBL), has given a 7-day notice to Pakistani authorities, particularly the ISI, to release all citizens of Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) who have been forcibly abducted.
If the demands are not met, Raja has threatened to organise an international conference in Geneva on September 17, 2024, to expose Pakistan's alleged human rights abuses. In a post on X, Sajjad Raja warned, "We have given a 7-day notice to Pakistani agencies and particularly to ISI to recover and release all those POJK citizens who have been forcibly abducted. If Pakistan fails to recover and release all victims of enforced disappearances, we shall hold an International Conference on this issue at Geneva Press Club on the 17th of September 2024 and shall begin a campaign against Pakistani occupation and barbaric atrocities. Enough is enough; we will not let Pakistan abduct and kill our citizens anymore. A big No to Pakistan." The move comes after several activists were detained by authorities following a recent protest, sparking concerns among supporters and human rights advocates. The demonstration, which focused on pressing issues such as social equality and political accountability, had drawn a large and passionate crowd. Critics argue that the arrests represent a crackdown on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The detained activists, prominent for their advocacy and leadership roles, were taken into custody under claims of disrupting public order and potentially inciting unrest. The incident has ignited a broader conversation about the delicate balance between maintaining public safety and protecting fundamental democratic rights, with many calling for the immediate release of the activists and raising questions about the implications for civic engagement and protest movements. Pakistan has a long history of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, many of which have targeted human rights and minority defenders critical of the government and the military, as well as persons suspected or accused of involvement in the opposition. (ANI)
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