Human Rights watch has exposed Pakistan policy in Azad Kashmir

Date: 20 September 2006

Human Rights watch has exposed Pakistan policy in Azad Kashmir

We say thank you to Human Rights watch who have exposed Pakistani policy in Azad Kashmir, said Dr Shabir Choudhry Chairman Diplomatic Committee of JKLF. We know what Pakistani agencies and bureaucracy are doing in Azad Kashmir and in Gilgit and Baltistan; and how they oppress and exploit us.

We nationalist Kashmiris have been raising our voice against this unjust treatment and instead of listening to our pleas and rectifying the problems we were accused of being ‘anti Pakistan’. They made unfounded allegations that we were saying this to support Indian propaganda.

Now that internationally renowned human rights body, after detailed research and analyses said same thing what we have been saying for many years, and especially after the deadly earthquake last year. This proves that our research, analyses and contacts on the ground were correct and that people of the area clearly feel that Pakistani control is illegal and against the wishes of the people.
Human Rights Watch confirms our contention that Azad Kashmir is not free by saying that:

“Although ‘azad’ means ‘free,’ the residents of Azad Kashmir are anything but,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The Pakistani authorities govern Azad Kashmir with strict controls on basic freedoms.”
The people of Jammu and Kashmir including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit and Baltistan want to live in peace and enjoy fruits of freedom, but as a result of forced division and policies of India, Pakistan and militants we are suffering on both sides of the divide. Pakistan likes to point finger of blame to India for human rights violations, but completely ignore its obligations on this side of the divide. Human Rights Watch reports ask Pakistan to “… start looking into ways of ending human rights abuses in Azad Kashmir”

Dr Shabir Choudhry said whereas human rights organization have detailed reports on the human rights abuse on the Indian side of Kashmir very little is known and documented on this side of the LOC. He requested other Human Rights organizations to visit areas of Giligit and Baltistan and prepare reports on human rights abuse over there.