KNP strongly condemn police brutality in Mirpur and Rawalakot

Dr Shabir Choudhry    London    27 March 2010

According to reports emanating from Rawalakot in Pakistani Administered Kashmir, ‘Pakistani Law Enforcement Agencies opened indiscriminate firing against peaceful protesters in Rawalakot City’.

People were protesting against continued load shedding of electricity in whole of Pakistani Administered Kashmir. Last week people of Mirpur protested in thousands and faced the brutality of the Punjab Constabulary. Their demand was simple: they wanted electricity. They said Mangla dam, which is constructed by drowning city of Mirpur, produces around 1000 mgw electricity, whereas the requirement of entire Pakistani Administered Kashmir is around 150 mgw.

Instead of giving them electricity Punjab Constabulary mercilessly manhandled them and tortured them, which resulted in injury of more than 40 innocent citizens. Despite that brave action of the citizens, WAPDA, a Pakistani institution has agreed to give electricity to Mirpur for only 12 hours. That means the electricity will be disconnected after every one hour, making life hell for the people when temperature is already hovering around 40.

Today it was turn of citizens of Rawalakot. Their demand for electricity was responded by police lathi charge (stick beating) and shelling which resulted in injury of 7 people. The injured people were taken to local hospital, whereas the demonstration still continues and could result in injury of more innocent people.

It is very sad. People are denied of their basic rights, and when they protest they are declared as agents of India and badly treated. I hope these incidents will open eyes of some pro Pakistan Kashmiris. They need to understand that Pakistani agencies and para military forces are ‘just as good’ as Indian when it comes to beating people when orderes are given.

We need to remember that these people were not shouting slogans of freedom or holding guns in their hands; or using guns provided byPakistan's enemy; they are simply asking for electricity.

Just imagine how they would have reacted if people of Pakistani Administered Kashmir had borrowed a gun from India and used it againstPakistan; just like people of Indian Administered Kashmir borrowed a gun from Pakistan and used it against India. We need to put things in perspective when making decisions. We have to accept that we are occupied and human rights violations take place on both sides of the LOC.

We citizens of divided Jammu and Kashmir must oppose human rights violations and struggle for unification and independence of the State according to our local conditions. Those who are telling us to liberate the Indian side of Kashmir first, are not sincere and are only advancing the agenda of Pakistan.

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