PoJK Leaders Condemn Pakistan Over 70-Year Denial of Rights

At a public conference in Muzaffarabad, PoJK leaders criticized the Pakistani administration for stripping them of basic human and democratic rights for over 70 years. They highlighted manipulated elections and the suppression of free speech, calling for the right to express their opinions and protest against injustices.

Local leaders of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) convened in Muzaffarabad to criticize the Pakistani administration for denying basic human and democratic rights for over 70 years. Tauqeer Gilani, a prominent local leader, accused the administration of stripping these fundamental rights from the general public.

Addressing the conference, Gilani stated, 'We live in a place where the most basic rights of democracy are not given to us. We lack the right to express our opinions, which is fundamental to any democratic society. Our freedoms are constrained, our administration is not autonomous, and our votes lack authenticity. The general public of PoJK witnesses how elections are manipulated, from fake votes of minors and deceased individuals to biased polling stations, all aimed at determining electoral outcomes.'

Gilani further lamented, 'There's a deliberate attempt to suppress our voices. We can't talk about those who exploit our water bodies, forests, or land resources. If we're this oppressed, should we criticize ourselves instead of these offenders? Our right to protest and critique is even enshrined in Pakistan's Constitution. Yet, while top political leaders organize large rallies, we are labeled anti-establishment agents and tortured for peacefully voicing our concerns.'

(With inputs from agencies.)