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Every year on February 5, Pakistan observes what it calls Kashmir Solidarity Day. Officially, it claims to stand for the rights of Kashmiris, but in reality, the day is about state-sponsored propaganda, designed to distract from Pakistan's own human rights record both in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and across regions under its control.
President of the Institute for Gilgit Baltistan Studies (IGBS), Washington DC, Senge Sering, has strongly criticised Pakistan's observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5, declaring it a "Kashmir Hypocrisy Day" and accusing Islamabad of ignoring alleged human rights violations in territories under its own control, including Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). In a video statement, Sering said Pakistan's expressions of solidarity with Kashmiris stand in sharp contrast to what he described as ongoing repression, displacement, and denial of constitutional rights in regions occupied by Pakistan."Today, we the people of Gilgit-Baltistan declare February 5 as Kashmir Hypocrisy Day," Sering said. "At a time when Pakistan is carrying out massacre and genocide in occupied Balochistan, it dares to speak of solidarity." Highlighting conditions across Pakistan-controlled regions, Sering alleged that people in Balochistan, Pashtun areas, PoJK, and PoGB are facing widespread rights violations. He referred to the displacement of residents from the Tirah Valley, arrests of political activists, and restrictions imposed on leaders demanding basic rights. Referring to recent incidents in PoJK, Sering alleged that civilians in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad were killed during protests."People of PoJK recently buried 13 of their loved ones killed by Punjabi police and rangers," he claimed. "People in PoJK and PoGB lack food, electricity, clean water and sanitation. At the same time, our land is being handed over to Pakistani settlers," he said. Contrasting this with conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, Sering claimed that residents there enjoy constitutional rights and development. "Contrary to the myths Pakistan spreads, Indian Kashmiris have lived as equal Indian citizens for the last 78 years, with political representation and modern infrastructure," he said. Appealing to the international community, particularly the United Nations, Sering held Pakistan responsible for the current situation. "Pakistan is the only culprit that hijacked Jammu and Kashmir and made us hostages to its expansionist designs," he said, adding that the only solidarity expected from Pakistan was "its immediate withdrawal from our lands and compensation for 78 years of exploitation," he said. (ANI)
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