Deeply disturbed by killings in PoK: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
Srinagar, June 10
Chief cleric and senior religious leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on Wednesday that he is deeply disturbed by the killings in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in police firing.
Mirwaiz Umar wrote on X: "Deeply disturbed by the news coming from across the LoC. The killing of more than a dozen protesting civilians and police personnel is extremely sad. The Government there should know better than to use force to handle public grievances and demands in this manner. When people take to the streets to express their concerns, it is a signal that they seek to be heard. It is the responsibility of those in authority to listen, engage and peacefully resolve the matter, rather than allow it to escalate into violence, arbitrary arrests and loss of life. Hope and pray that better sense prevails and the matter is handled with maturity while addressing the concerns of the people."
His remarks came after more than 20 people were reportedly killed in recent police action on protesters in several parts of PoK.
On Tuesday, India came down hard on Pakistan for its "brutality" against people in PoK and called on the international community to hold that country accountable for its "abuses".
Reports said 22 people were killed, including seven pregnant women, when civilian protesters were fired upon by Pakistan Rangers. Nearly 200 civilians were injured, and over 500 others were arrested during these protests.
Another report said the PoK administration launched a search operation for four protesters and announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore for information leading to the arrest of leaders linked to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) after massive protests in the region.
The PoK administration had banned the Joint Awami Action Committee, triggering mass unrest. It must also be noted that although the region is purportedly governed by an elected government, it is in fact an "appointed puppet government" installed by Islamabad.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally someone from the religious leadership speaking up. But let's be honest - this is what a puppet government does. The PoK administration has no real power, it's just Islamabad's stooge. When people demand basic rights, they get bullets. Compare this to how India handles protests in Kashmir - not perfect, but at least there's a judicial system and media that reports these things. PoK has none of that. The world needs to wake up.
Sad state of affairs. But I have to respectfully disagree with the Mirwaiz's framing. He blames "the government" there - but PoK doesn't have a real government, it's a military setup. Pakistan Army runs everything from behind the scenes. The protesters were brave to speak out against this oppression. India offering support to PoK people is the right move - we should expose Pakistan's double standards at every international platform.
Seven pregnant women killed?! That is absolutely disgusting. Pakistan talks about Azadi in Kashmir but can't even give basic human rights to their own people in PoK. The Rs 1 crore bounty on protest leaders shows how desperate they are to silence dissent. Mirwaiz sahab's statement is timely but I hope he also condemns Pakistan's actions more strongly. PoK is a dark mirror of what Pakistan wants for all of Kashmir - oppression and violence.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is right to be disturbed. But I find it interesting that he didn't mention Pakistan by name - just said "the government there." Why the hesitation? This is clearly Pakistan's army acting through their puppet administration. The international media should cover this more widely. If this happened in India, the whole world would be screaming about human rights violations. Pakistan gets a free pass because of geopolitics. Hypocrisy at its worst. 😐
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