PoK residents seek India's help for independence amid New Delhi's outspoken stance on the restive region
New Delhi/Islamabad/IBNS: The Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) residents have sought help from India amid Islamabad's crackdown on the protesters, who took to streets against the price rise in New Delhi's hostile neighbour, media reports said.
The protesters clashed with security personnel as they escalated their agitation.
The protests took colour after the agitators raised "Azadi" slogans prompting the Pakistan government to resort to crackdown.
The activists urge India to pay attention to PoK and help the region including Gilgit-Balochistan to become independent.
Stone pelting and violence instigated by Pakistan were commonplace occurrences in Kashmir back when I was the Corps Commander there.
— Lt Gen Satish Dua 🇮🇳 (@TheSatishDua) May 13, 2024
Today Kashmir is peaceful & prospering, while POK is on the boil. See people's anger against their security personnel.
Karma always strikes back pic.twitter.com/9waarxm0R2
This comes at a time India's Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday declared New Delhi will take back PoK if his BJP-led NDA returns to power in the Lok Sabha elections.
"We will take back PoK," said Shah, the second most important person in the BJP.
Days ago, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made significant remarks claiming PoK people will demand a merger of the region of India, which achieved independence from the British rule in 1947 with a bifurcation of the country into India and Pakistan.
The same tone was echoed in the words of India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as well.
"PoK has never been out of this country. It has always been a part of this country. There is a resolution of the Indian parliament that PoK is very much a part of India. Now, how did other people get control?
"Ab ho jaata hai (it happens) when you have someone who is not a responsible custodian of a house, an outsider will come and steal something," Jaishankar said during an interactive session in Odisha's Cuttack.
PoK has been hit by civilian unrest that prompted a massive crackdown by the authorities to quell protests across the region.
A police officer was killed and 90 others were injured in fresh clashes on Saturday.
The protests initially started over inflation, high taxation, and electricity shortage but have now turned into a movement for rights and freedom across PoK.
Protesters have been shouting slogans for "azadi (freedom)" as they clashed with police and security agencies in Muzaffarabad and other districts.
The protests are being spearheaded by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, with traders at the forefront.
Dozens of leaders and members of the Action Committee have been arrested after they called the strike on Friday.
