Pakistan must dismantle terror infrastructure in PoK, says exiled leader

A leader from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) lambasted Pakistan for using the occupied territory as a "launching pad for terrorists" and extremists.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference titled, "State of Jammu Kashmir contemporary challenges to combat terrorism, extremism and human rights violations", exiled leader, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri asked Pakistan to "stop funding and breeding" the terrorists.

"Extremism and terrorism are big challenges in our region. So, we are trying our best to strengthen the civil society and highlight their miseries," said Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Chairman of United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP).

"We are trying to and put pressure on Pakistan through world community that it should stop funding and supporting terrorism, and the terrorist's infrastructure must be dismantled in PoK and Pakistan should stop funding them", said Kashmiri.

The event organized by Jammu Kashmir International People's Alliance (JKIPA) was attended by human rights experts, intellectuals and diplomats.

Pakistan has backed terror groups like Laskar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed to set up terror camps in PoK, near the Line of Control (LoC) and make them infiltrate into the Kashmir valley.

Cross-border infiltration by these terrorists results into the exchange of firing between the security forces on both sides of the border.

Kashmiri said the people living in the border areas also suffer due to cross-border firing. "The people of PoK are suffering too much because when the extremists or the militants infiltrate into another part of Jammu and Kashmir, ultimately the Indian military stop them through firing and Pakistan also engage with the Indian Army. Both sides, whether it is another part of Kashmir or this part of Kashmir, the people are dying", said the PoK leader.

He added, "We are trying to save our people. Stop the infiltrations. Pakistan must stop the policy of using extremists and terrorists".

At the conference, a resolution was also passed reiterating commitment to oppose all forms of terrorism, extremism, fundamentalism in PoK and in Jammu and Kashmir.