Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a key figure in the Awami Action Committee of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK), has accused the Pakistani government and military of suppressing the local population. He stated that the region, despite its name, is not free. Mir compared the government’s actions to those of a witch, indicating their malevolent nature. He cited instances of the government’s actions, including how General Asim Munir had labeled Hindus as ‘infidels’ before the Palgham attack. Mir highlighted that Pakistan accuses others of committing acts of cruelty, while simultaneously its leaders are committing atrocities in PoJK. These statements were made during a time of ongoing protests in PoJK against the actions of the Pakistani government. Mir condemned the killing of people, suppression of media, and said that the Pakistani forces cannot claim to represent their people as they are killing them. Mir also noted that the Pakistani government focuses on criticizing India while failing to address its own issues. Mir said that even if the Indian government is considered ‘infidel’, Pakistan, a Muslim country, is killing its own people. Mir stated that the term ‘Azad Kashmir’ is a misnomer, as the region is not free. He highlighted that the Pakistani government frequently restricts media and internet access to quell protests in Kashmir. He added that the lack of freedom of speech has rendered the phrase ‘Azad Kashmir’ meaningless. The protests against the Pakistani government on Wednesday resulted in approximately six fatalities. Over the course of the last three days, at least four individuals died in the Dhirkot area of Bagh district, with two casualties in Muzaffarabad and two in Mirpur. More than 200 civilians were wounded. Furthermore, the clashes also resulted in the deaths of three police officers, with at least nine more sustaining injuries.
