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Key Points

An expert is calling out the shocking double standards in how the world responds to violence. While Gaza deaths make global headlines, killings of Kashmiri Muslims in PoK get ignored completely. The OIC and Western nations remain silent as Pakistan cracks down on protesters. These basic rights demonstrations are being met with brutal force and communications blackouts affecting millions.

Key Points: Expert Slams Global Silence on Pakistan PoK Crackdown Hypocrisy

  • Pakistani forces killed 10 protesters demanding affordable electricity and food in PoK
  • OIC remains silent despite regularly condemning India over Kashmir
  • 4.5 million people affected by communications blackout and curfews
  • Protests centered on 38-point charter including political reforms and basic rights
3 min read

Expert slams global silence on Pakistan's crackdown in PoK, calls out OIC hypocrisy

European writer Michael Arizanti condemns international silence as Pakistan kills protesters in PoK, calling out OIC and Western double standards over Kashmir violence.

"The OIC, so quick to issue statements against India whenever an incident occurs in Jammu and Kashmir, has not uttered a single word about the massacre in PoK. Not one. - Michael Arizanti"

Tel Aviv, October 5

European writer and expert on West Asia affairs, Michael Arizanti, has sharply criticised the international community for turning a blind eye to killings in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), accusing global powers and Islamic nations of "shameful hypocrisy" in ignoring state violence against Kashmiri Muslims.

In a blog published in the Times of Israel, Arizanti compared the muted response to civilian deaths in PoK with global outrage over Gaza, questioning why "the death of a Palestinian in Gaza is a global headline, but the death of a Kashmiri Muslim in Muzaffarabad is a footnote."

At least 10 people were killed and more than 100 injured as Pakistani forces opened fire on protesters demanding affordable electricity and flour in Muzaffarabad, Dheerkot, Rawalakot and Mirpur, Arizanti noted.

Despite curfews and a communications blackout affecting 4.5 million people, the violence has barely been reported internationally.

The agitation, spearheaded by Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), is centred on a 38-point charter of demands. These include political reforms, subsidised wheat flour, lower electricity tariffs, free education and health facilities, and the abolition of perks for government officials.

Muzaffarabad emerged as the epicentre of the movement. Shops, markets and transport services were shut down.

"The massacre of Muslim civilians in PoK has barely stirred a whisper. The selective outrage is deafening," Arizanti wrote, accusing both Western and Islamic nations of double standards.

Arizanti singled out the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab states, which regularly condemn India over Kashmir, but have not issued a statement on PoK.

"The OIC, so quick to issue statements against India whenever an incident occurs in Jammu and Kashmir, has not uttered a single word about the massacre in PoK. Not one," he wrote. "Where are the imams, the scholars, the ministers who thunder about Gaza every Friday? The hypocrisy is as transparent as it is shameful."

Arizanti also questioned Western silence, despite repeated statements on Ukraine, Gaza and Myanmar.

"The same capitals that lit up their monuments in blue and yellow to stand with Ukraine... remain mute when Pakistan crushes dissent in a territory it falsely labels 'Azad'," Arizanti argued. "Is Kashmiri blood worth less? Is Pakistani repression somehow more palatable?"

Calling for global accountability, he urged the United Nations to investigate the killings and the European Union to act immediately as he called the PoJK killings a crime against "humanity",

"The killings in PoK are not an internal Pakistani matter--they are a crime against humanity, one that demands the attention of the world," Arizanti further added.

Emphasising that PoK residents are not separatists but citizens demanding dignity, he noted that the protests were over basic rights, such as electricity and food.

"The people of PoK are demanding electricity they can afford, wheat they can eat, representation they can trust. They are not asking for secession, but for dignity. Yet the Pakistani state answers them with violence, he wrote.

"Kashmiris in PoK deserve the same rights and protections that the world demands for Ukrainians, Palestinians, or any other oppressed people. Their blood is not cheaper. Their cries are not quieter. They are simply unheard," Arizanti added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
This breaks my heart 💔 People are just asking for basic necessities - electricity and food. How can anyone justify killing them for that? The international community's silence is deafening. Kashmiri lives matter everywhere.
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Arjun K
While I agree with the main point, I wish Indian media would also cover human rights issues in our own country with the same passion. We need to be consistent in our criticism of human rights violations everywhere.
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Sarah B
As someone living in Delhi, I've seen how one-sided the Kashmir narrative often is. This article exposes the selective outrage perfectly. Why aren't human rights organizations speaking up about PoK?
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Vikram M
The OIC's silence speaks volumes about their real agenda. They're not interested in protecting Muslims - they're interested in political games. Meanwhile, ordinary Kashmiris suffer on both sides of the border.
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Michael C
This is exactly why we need more balanced reporting. The media only shows us what fits certain narratives. People in PoK are demanding basic rights and getting bullets in return. Where's the global condemnation?

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