KNP asks Pakistan to stop harassing Kashmiri leaders in PoK

In a letter to Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, Syed Ibne Abbas, the Kashmir National Party (KNP) has raised the issue of harassment of its workers in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Dr Shabir Choudhry, Diplomatic Head of Kashmir National Party, said in a statement, "We are seriously concerned about growing intolerance and curbing of political and economic rights in Pakistani Administered Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan".

It added, "We strongly oppose violence, religious intolerance and terrorism in any form or shape; and promote our struggle peacefully. This right is granted to us by the UN Resolutions on Kashmir, the UN Charter and the Constitution of Pakistan".

Dr. Choudhry has written to Pakistan High Commissioner that despite peaceful struggle the Kashmiri leaders and political workers in Azad Kashmir are systematically targeted and harassed under the cover of National Action Plan.

In December last year, Pakistan announced a national plan to fight terrorism. A special military tribunal court to handle terrorism cases in the country was also formed a week after the deadly attack on a military school in Peshawar that killed 149 people, 133 of them children.

However, political activists in Pakistan occupied Kashmiri alleges that in the shade of NAP, Pakistani forces are harassing them. Many of the political leaders in PoK and Gilgit Baltistan are implicated in fraudulent cases and are charged under sedition laws.

Dr. Shabir has written in his statement, "People who are victimised include, Afzaal Suleria, Yasin Anjum, Wasim Malik, Rafiq Khawaja, Talat Ansari, Sharoon Mughal, Baba Jan, Col Nadir Khan, Manzoor Parwana, Iftikhar Ali and many others".