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Defence Minister rules out talks with PoK protesters
The Hindu··29 Jul
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif ruled out dialogue with PoK protesters, calling them enemies in the same category as India. The Prime Minister's Adviser said the group had presented 38 demands but accused it of attempting an India-like attack to seize Muzaffarabad and Mirpur. The clashes coincide with PoK assembly elections, whose first phase already drew rigging allegations.
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What It Means For You
- Anyone following South Asian affairs gets a clearer picture of how deep the unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has grown ahead of assembly elections there.
- Readers tracking India-Pakistan relations see India's diplomatic response to elections it considers illegitimate in territory it claims as its own.
- Those interested in press freedom can note that PoK's internet suspension and media blackout make independent verification of events difficult right now.
What's Happening
- Clashes between security forces and protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have killed at least 20 activists of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee since Monday.
- Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif ruled out dialogue with the protesters, calling them enemies in the same category as India.
- The unrest coincides with PoK assembly elections, where the ruling PML-N won nine of 13 seats in the first phase amid rigging claims.
A Protest Movement Now Two Months Old
- The Joint Awami Action Committee began its long march and sit-in on June 9, originally protesting 12 contentious assembly seats.
- Before Monday's violence, the group says 40 people had already been killed in the unrest, including protesters and security personnel.
- India has called the PoK elections an attempt to camouflage illegal occupation, reiterating that the region remains an integral part of India.
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