MUZAFFARABAD gathering in support of oppressed people of occupied Jammu & Kashmir on Friday should have made it crystal clear on the world community at large as to what is the difference between the territory administered by Pakistan and the one occupied by New Delhi. The mammoth crowd at the gathering is reflective of the fact that the people of Azad Jammu & Kashmir live a normal life and are enjoying their basic rights but the people across the Line of Control are deprived of the same; rather the Valley has been turned into a prison by the occupying forces.
It was a very wise decision of the government to hold a gathering in Muzaffarabad where, indeed, Prime Minister Imran Khan very forcefully and effectively presented the case of Kashmiris before the world. The way Imran Khan is exposing the extremist face of RSS and BJP is unprecedented and because of which the world is also now strongly voicing concern over blatant and grave human rights violations in the IoK. The presence of people from different segments of society in Muzaffarabad gathering including singers, cricketers and actors also sent a loud and lucid message to India that entire Pakistani nation stands shoulder to shoulder with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters and will not leave them alone until they get their right to self-determination. Imran Khan in his speech also mentioned to the anxiousness of the people of Azad Jammu & Kashmir who want to cross the LoC to help their oppressed Kashmiri brethren. Certainly the people of AJK who have blood relations across the LOC as well as the Pakistani people cannot see their Kashmiri brethren in this pain and agony and they want to march towards the occupied territory whilst putting their lives at stake. This is a serious situation that could trigger a conflict between two nuclear armed nations. Though the PM did the right thing by stopping the people from crossing the LoC and asked them to wait till his address to the UN General Assembly, but time warrants that important capitals, especially Washington, come forward and force Indian authorities to lift all sorts of restrictions on the people of Kashmiri and move towards resolution of this festering dispute by sitting with Kashmiri and Pakistani leadership.
