The Awami Action Committee has called on Kashmiris abroad to hold rallies on August 13 over the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are set to take an international turn from August 13, with the Awami Action Committee (AAC) calling on Kashmiris living abroad to organise demonstrations against what it alleges is the use of force by Pakistani authorities in the region.
The AAC has urged members of the PoK diaspora to hold rallies in several countries on August 13 and draw international attention to the situation in the region. It has also called for August 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day, to be observed as a Black Day.
Protests in PoK have continued for more than two months, with protesters alleging that security forces have killed more than 60 people and injured over 500 others. Concerns have also been raised over alleged forced disappearances.
The AAC has called on Kashmiris living abroad to organise demonstrations outside Pakistani embassies and diplomatic missions in different countries as part of its international campaign.
The committee wants the diaspora to highlight what it describes as atrocities against people in PoK and seek greater international attention to the developments.
An official said the campaign could prove to be a turning point for the region, arguing that the issues surrounding PoK had not received sufficient international attention despite growing concerns.
“If the AAC’s call receives a strong response, it could put Pakistan in a difficult position and cause considerable embarrassment to the country’s establishment,” the official added.
Another official said a strong response to the call was necessary to bring greater international attention to the situation.
“These atrocities will never stop until the global community starts speaking about it. More importantly, it will also expose Pakistan’s bluff, as since the start of the protests, the establishment has been trying to pass off the protesters as terrorists,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the AAC has alleged that security forces have intensified their response to the protests, including incidents involving military firing. The committee has described the alleged actions as state-sponsored terror by the Pakistani establishment.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Experts monitoring the situation said the absence of a resolution and the continued confrontation between protesters and authorities could further worsen tensions in the region.
“Unless and until the issues become global and world leaders begin talking about it, there would be no respite for the people of the region,” the experts said.
The AAC’s international appeal is also expected to draw on the sizeable PoK diaspora. Officials cited estimates of around two million people from the region living abroad, with many originating from Kotli, Bhimber and Mirpur districts.
The United Kingdom is said to have the largest concentration, with estimates ranging from one million to 1.5 million people. Others are spread across the Middle East, North America, Canada and the United States.
Officials alleged that Pakistani authorities have sought to restrict communication with the outside world to prevent developments in PoK from receiving international attention. They also claimed that reports emerging from the region could represent only a fraction of the situation on the ground.
The claims regarding the scale of deaths, injuries and disappearances could not be independently verified.
With the AAC now seeking to take the protests beyond PoK, authorities could face increased international scrutiny over their handling of the demonstrations. The campaign also comes ahead of Pakistan’s Independence Day on August 14, when the AAC has called for protests and demonstrations to mark the occasion as a Black Day.
