Accusing Pakistan of dual standards on the issue of Kashmir, a conglomerate of politicalgroups in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) has said Islamabad was "shedding crocodile tears on the issue ofself-determination for Kashmiris while denying the same in areas under its occupation."
All Parties National Alliance (APNA), a conglomerate of 13 political parties inPoK, Gilgit and Baltistan, said in a memorandum to the united nations that"Pakistan was denying the basic right to contest the elections to all freedom lovinggroups."
Pakistani government has refused to accept any nomination form without the candidate accepting the accessionof the occupied territory as a part of Pakistan. This has led to a serious brawl between freedom loving groupsincluding Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and Pakistani rulers who cracked down onJKLF activists in PoK, APNA said.
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Flaying the military regime in Islamabad for having announced a farcical election in the occupied territory,convenor of APNA Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, who is also the chairman of UnitedKashmir People's National Party, said the conglomerate was not opposed to any democratic means but "themilitary government has resorted to undemocratic means and is trying to impose a government on the people in the guise ofelections."
"Freedom loving Kashmiris are not allowed to stand and contest the elections. Only those people are allowedto contest who believe Kashmir's accession to Pakistan is final," Kashmiri said in the memorandum to theUnited Nations.
"Despite the fact that the Pakistani government shed crocodile tears and called for self-determination forKashmiris, they deny this right to the people in areas under their occupation," Kashmiri said.
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He also raised the voice on behalf of nearly two million people living inGilgit and Baltistan who have no right to vote as Pakistan had illegally annexed the territory and denied itthe right to be part of PoK.
Other groups of APNA have also objected to the method of elections in the PoKand said "this shows the insincerity of Pakistan government towards Kashmirissue."
Meanwhile, the military government has started a crack down on JKLF activists, who were spearheading theprotests against the policies of Islamabad, and recently arrested nine leaders inKarachi, media reports from Pakistani said.
The activists were raising pro-independence slogans for Kashmir when they were arrested by the police.
The Islamabad regime has started a well-thought of programme against the activists ofJKLF, not only in PoK, but also in the rest of country, JKLF sources said.
(PTI)
