• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Pak Minister: PoK protesters "enemies like India."
  2. India: PoK polls camouflage "illegal occupation."
  3. JAAC claimed 14 activists killed in PoK.

PoK Violence: Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif justified the mass killing of protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) ahead of the election in the region, saying the people of PoK are enemies. When he was asked whether dialogue would start with protesting people in PoK, he said no talk will take place, and he considers them enemies like India.

“I put the protesters in the same category as India and consider them also as enemies like India,” he was heard as saying in a video.

India Blasts PoK Polls, Says 'Camouflage Its Illegal Occupation'

Reacting to the development in PoK, India on Tuesday described the ongoing local body elections in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK) as an attempt by Islamabad to camouflage its illegal occupation and hide its "grave" human rights violations in the region.

ALSO READ: 'Rawalakot Filled With Dead Bodies, Blood Of Kashmiris': 14 Killed, Several Injured In Violent Clashes In PoK Polls

Voting in PoK began this week for the first round of local legislative elections amid widespread violence.

"The current cosmetic electoral exercise is nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation and hide its grave human rights violations in the region," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his bi-weekly media briefing.

ALSO READ: PoK Tensions Boil Over As JAAC Kicks Off Long March After Pakistan Talks Collapse

He reiterated that the entire Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, including the areas currently under Pakistan's "illegal and forcible occupation", are parts of India.

"India's position on this matter has been clear, consistent, and well known. The entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, including the areas currently under Pakistan''s illegal and forcible occupation, are integral and inalienable parts of India."

14 Activists Killed And Dozens Injured In PoK: JAAC

Meanwhile, Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on Tuesday said at least 14 activists of the banned organisation were killed and more than two dozen injured in clashes with law-enforcement personnel during the first phase of elections for the so-called legislative assembly in PoK.

Law enforcement authorities in the region, however, disputed the death toll and accused JAAC protesters of opening fire on security personnel.

The JAAC has been holding a series of protests in PoK since last month over 12 contentious seats of the so-called regional legislative assembly. It alleges that the establishment manoeuvres these seats to install a prime minister of its choosing.

As the first phase of polls was held on Monday on 13 seats, the JAAC held a long march from Rawalakot towards the regional capital Muzaffarabad. The JAAC claimed that its activists were killed when law-enforcement personnel opened fire on participants of the long march. The party''s claim could not be independently verified.
(With PTI Inputs)

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