Monday 24 April 2017

Another victory for Pakistan army, Dr Shabir Choudhry

Another victory for Pakistan army, Dr Shabir Choudhry     
London    24 April 2017
Brave army of Pakistan has registered another great victory against ‘bloody civilians’. This time their task was to capture a playground, where the local people also hold Eid and funeral prayers. The target area was a ground near Poonch River in a village called Chhani, near Kotli town in the Pakistani occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This remarkable victory is much better than that of Red Mosque, because there were no causalities in the battle of Chhani playground.

The brave army men took control of the playground and the surrounding area, and have established their check post to ensure that no ‘bloody civilian’ can enter the ground. The local community leaders who arranged demonstrations against the Pakistan army action, and demanded army to leave the area and hand back the conquered ground to the local people were also taken care off. All five of them are behind the bars and are facing sedition charges.

Operation of arresting these people was also carried out in a commando style. At night time men in uniform jumped over the walls of these people and broke in to the houses. There was no issue of sanctity or integrity of homes, women and households. They were rounded up, and anyone who challenged them were harassed, abused, pushed and dragged.

To demand the Pakistan army not to take over a land which does not belong to them, is sedition in areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan; and anyone who dares to disagree with this logic, can also face charges of helping and supporting the ‘traitors’ and ‘trouble makers’.

As usual, the foot soldiers of Pakistan and Kashmiri mental slaves of Pakistan have decided to remain quiet. They are mentally programmed only to speak against India; and the human rights in Indian occupied Kashmir. Perhaps, they are waiting for something to happen in the Kashmir Valley that they can divert attention from the Kotli incident and justify to their masters that they are still loyal to them.

One can disagree with many things the people of the Valley of Kashmir are doing; however, I give this credit to them that they have not accepted the Indian rule; and despite human rights abuses, tear gas shellings, beatings, killings, torture etc they have not given in. Others have a right to disagree, but they openly defy the Indian rule and do what they think is right.

People of Azad Kashmir, no matter what claims of bravery and integrity they make, by and large, are mental slaves of Pakistan. One can even call them cowherds and collaborators, as they won’t speak against their oppressors and occupiers. Perhaps, they think dead bodies and blood of people of the Kashmir Valley will also help them to get liberation. If they think that, then they are damn fools. If you want to go to Heaven, for that you have to die first. You cannot enter Heaven when you are alive. Similarly, you cannot and should not get independence on the back of blood of other people in another region which is also occupied.

One may disagree with many things with what Sajid Kashmiri does. However, he has very bravely challenged the Pakistan army and their occupation of the Chhani playground. He has bravely challenged the oppression of the Pakistan army; and have enumerated the past deeds of the Pakistan army and what they did to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, East Pakistan, Afghanistan, Balochistan and Palestine. On social media, he wrote:

‘You have lost all your wars against India, and are afraid of the Indian army. They should be ashamed of this. For people of Azad Kashmir, the Pakistani army is an army of occupation. It is not our army. This army is only brave when it is dealing with the unarmed civilians. It is at its best when killing innocent people in Kashmir and inside Pakistan’. 1

He further said: ‘Because of the new army check post to enforce its occupation, the local people feel intimidated; and especially women and young girls are afraid to go out to collect water or go to wash their clothes on the river bank because the men in uniform stare at them and their eyes are full of lust and filth’. 2

Sajid Kashmiri hails from the village where the Pakistan army has registered this victory and captured the playground. He is bitter and angry. He says, he spent his childhood playing in this playground. He has some happy memories related to this ground and the surrounding areas, which is now occupied by the Pakistan army.

Because of his anger and bitterness, he has said things which I don’t feel appropriate to write or even translate, because mental slaves, the Pakistani army and people of Pakistan will get angry. However, without being rude or arrogant, one needs to protest against what is Pakistan army doing in various places of Azad Kashmir and in Gilgit Baltistan.

There are other places which are taken over by the Pakistan army, and no one dares to challenge them. There was a communal playground in Kotli town centre, which was there since the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir’s time. I know many people, including Abbas Butt who played in that playground during their childhood. Now that playground, in middle of the town is also under occupation of the Pakistan army; and civilians are not even allowed to walk through for a short cut. If anyone speaks against this, he is accused of being ‘anti Pakistan’ and an ‘agent of India’.

This weapon, Pakistan has successfully used against people since 1947; and because of the stigma attached with these allegations people refrain to challenge what Pakistan army and their stooges do in Azad Kashmir. Despite this, Mr Haq Nawaz, who is a leader of JKLF, says:
‘The entire area is under the control of Pakistan since 1948. However, it is sad that the army now has started taking over fertile and valuable lands and grounds which belongs to citizens of Azad Kashmir. This play ground which is also used for Eid and funeral prayers has been used by the local people for the past 70 years; and their forefathers used it before them. Now the army by intimidating the local people has taken this over. Protest of the local people was put down by the help of local puppet administration. The Pakistan army is bringing itself to level of the Indian army. This unfair drama cannot continue. The wrong dowers will have to make themselves accountable to the people’. 3

That reminds me that there is a history of Pakistan army taking over various pieces of land to build housing societies and sell them at extremely high price. That is why some critics call it army of housing societies.

In 1991, I bought two residential plots in Phase 2 of Janjua Town, Adiala Road in Rawalpindi. For each plot, I paid 250,000 Rupees. Also, I bought one residential plot and one commercial plot in Janjua Town 2, which was also on the Adiala Road.

In 1999, when General Musharaf toppled the elected government of Pakistan, this area, phase 2, was taken over by the army, they did not touch the Phase 1, because it was already built and most of the occupants were army officers. When in the year 2000, I went to see my plots in phase 2, within a few minutes two army men emerged and ordered me to leave immediately. Even though their guns were pointing at me, I asked why should I leave. I paid five hundred thousand Rupees for two plots; and I have every right to examine them.

He bluntly said, ‘I don’t care how much you have paid. I am telling you to leave, and I giving you 2 minutes to leave the site. We have orders to shoot who disobey our orders to leave’.

I refused to leave and started arguing with them. Hearing loud noises, a gentleman in civilian clothes emerged, and said to me, there is no point to argue with them. They have orders to follow. Your best bet is to see your advocate or a local Patwari - the man who keeps records of land.

I went to see the Patwari, he said you will be wasting your time and money if you take legal action against the army occupation. Army claims that, according to the law of 1904, this area belongs to the army. I said, in 1904, there was no Pakistan and no Pakistani army. He laughed and said, ‘I know that, but you have to believe them. They have taken over the entire Pakistan with gun. If you don’t agree you will face more trouble. There are hundreds of other people in the same boat; and no one will get anything’.

To date, I have not got a single penny for those plots. The entire area is in safe hands of the army. The Janjua Town 2 was also taken over by another man, with contacts with the establishment, and I lost those plots too, price of these plots in todays is money and property value is in Crors. Don’t you think, Pakistan army deserves a praise – let us all say Pakistan zindabad that they can take over more land and keep on teaching lessons to the ‘bloody civilians’.
Writer is a political analyst, TV anchor and author of many books and booklets. Also he is Chairman South Asia Watch and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs. Email:drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com

References:
2/ Ibid

No comments: