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Exiled Kashmiri leader and human rights activist Dr Shabir Choudhry has strongly condemned Pakistan's alleged repression in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), accusing Pakistani forces of targeting unarmed civilians, raiding homes and denying people access to essential supplies and medical treatment.
Speaking from the United Kingdom, Choudhry alleged that innocent civilians in PoJK had faced repeated violence and intimidation for months, claiming that several people had been shot and that Pakistan had openly issued orders to use lethal force against protesters. He further alleged that security forces had conducted raids on residential properties, restricted access to food and essential supplies, and denied medicines to the local population. He also claimed that injured civilians were being prevented from receiving medical assistance and, in some cases, were not allowed to be taken to hospitals. Questioning the treatment of people demanding their fundamental rights, Choudhry said that peaceful protests should not be treated as a criminal activity. Emphasising the nature of the ongoing resistance, the exiled leader maintained that the Kashmiri people's struggle was entirely peaceful and did not involve taking up arms. He said the protesters were neither armed fighters nor terrorists, but ordinary people raising their voices against what he described as Pakistan's oppression and atrocities. Choudhry also reiterated his opposition to what he termed Pakistan's brutality and terrorism, asserting that the movement was focused on securing fundamental rights through peaceful means. The activist further said that the struggle was not limited to demands for basic facilities and fundamental rights, but also involved seeking an end to the alleged exploitation of local resources. He argued that the natural resources of PoJK belonged to its people and that they should have control over their utilisation. Referring specifically to Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Choudhry accused Pakistani institutions of exploiting the region's resources and maintained that they had no right to do so at the expense of the local population. Reaffirming his position, Choudhry vowed that the peaceful struggle would continue until the people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir secured their fundamental rights, access to basic facilities and control over their natural resources. (ANI)
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