The United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) in solidarity with the Joint Awami Action Committee (AAC) will hold a protest in front of the Pakistan High Commission in London on February 5 to counter the so-called ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ observed by Pakistan.
The demonstrations will raise the demands of the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) on an international level.
Speaking to ANI, Nazir Aziz Khan, the spokesperson of UKPNP said, “The protest of February 5 will be an effort by the UKPNP and the AAC to call upon the Pakistani regime for the atrocities that they are committing upon the people of POK.”
He further mentioned that “February 5, which is observed as Kashmir Solidarity Day is nothing but a political stunt by Pakistan. As the regime has been showing no solidarity to the people of POK, where the people have been protesting for their basic rights of electricity, food, and ownership of their natural resources.”
The protest aims to show solidarity and support for the AAC and the people’s rights movement in POK and AAC in the POK has declared a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across POK on February 5.
According to a press release shared by Khan the main demands are; free electricity for natives of the POK, subsidies on wheat and flour, and ownership of all hydro projects in the “so-called POK”, ending the privileges of the ruling elite, ending unjustified load shedding of electricity and stopping inflation and unemployment
“UKPNP stands in solidarity with the Joint Awami Action Committee’s demands and urges Pakistan to immediately fulfill all demands. The primary purpose of the protest is to showcase the ground situation to the international community, highlighting that people in Pakistan-occupied areas of POK and GB are denied their basic human and fundamental rights,” the statement added.
Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan further said that Pakistan has consistently failed to provide basic necessities to Kashmiris under its administration.
UKPNP believes that Pakistan’s observance of February 5 as “solidarity day” with the people of Jammu and Kashmir is merely a political stance, as it has not provided all basic human rights and facilities to the people under its administration.
It has also raised these issues at the United Nations Human Rights Council and will continue to highlight them during the forthcoming session.
“The party maintains a clear stance that Pakistan has no locus stand on POK; it is an illegal occupying force and must comply with the UNCIP resolution and the truce agreement of 1948 by vacating all areas of the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir forthwith,” Khan said.
“UKPNP demands ownership of natural resources and self-rule in POK and GB,” he added.
The protest of February 5 will be held in London at a time when several sit-ins and protests have been continuing in Pakistan.
Previously, The Awami Action Committee had rejected the ongoing notification regarding wheat subsidy and called it vague. The committee had also announced that they will continue to hold a sit-in, in Pakistan.
On the fourth day of the sit-in, thousands of people held a protest at Ittihad Chowk. The AAC chief commander Ehsan Ali Advocate, in his speech, said that no negotiations have been held with the Awami Action Committee and added that the notification being shown is a fraud.
