OUR CORRESPONDENT
MUZAFFARABAD The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan while expressing grave concern over fast spreading COVID-19 pandemic in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK), has prevailed upon the Indian government to immediate release thousands of Kashmiri people languishing in different Indian prisons. In a statement issued here on Saturday, he said that thousands of people infected with COVID-19 were losing their lives in various countries, and in India itself, the pandemic had alarmed bells. In this situation, he maintained that thousands of Kashmiri people were imprisoned in the Indian jails, and they are highly concerned about their families hundreds of miles away in the held territory. The AJK president appealed to the international community particularly the United Nations to take strict notice of new restrictions imposed by India on the movement of citizens and internet in occupied Kashmir. “The people of occupied Kashmir are facing great difficulties in reaching hospitals and health facilities due to the latest Indian restrictions, and getting information about the COVID-19 due to blockade of internet services,” he said and warned that this state of affairs may cause fast spread of the virus in the occupied territory. He went on to say that according to our information, the prisons in India and occupied Jammu and Kashmir are crowded beyond capacity. Therefore, the outbreak of COVID-19 has necessitated immediate release of all the prisoners particularly the inmates suffering from complicated diseases. The state president thanked the Chinese government for extending generous support to Pakistan in crusade against COVID-19 and sending besides physicians and medical staff, a consignment of medical equipment to contain the pandemic. “The Chinese government through its assistance to Pakistan in this difficult hour too, has proved that China is our trustworthy friend,” he said adding that China had reached to the rescue of Pakistan at a time when the country itself has not fully recovered from the pandemic. He said that China had reminisced the past history when it was the first reach to help Pakistan in the catastrophic earthquake of 2005 and the flash floods of 2010.
