New Delhi: The situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) worsened overnight as protesters refused to disperse and security forces allegedly opened fire on demonstrators.
Reports from PoK said that the security forces launched a midnight crackdown on protesters, with gunfire reported in Rawalakot.
An Intelligence Bureau official said the reported gunfire came as scores of women and children joined the ongoing protest. Many women and children have remained at the protest site for the past 50 days, with dozens more joining them Sunday.
Pakistan, which has refused to accept the demands raised by the people of PoK, has instead continued to deploy more security personnel at protest sites across the region.
An official said that to date, more than 40 persons have been killed by the security forces.
“The fear is that a desperate Pakistan may start targeting women and children only to spread fear among the people in the region. They can go to any lengths to put down the protests, and this could result in a human tragedy of an unimaginable level,” the official said.
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The protests began with the people of the region asking for better amenities and more development. The protests have intensified after the election process began in PoK.
The allegedly rigged elections have also deepened differences within the ruling coalition, with tensions emerging between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), according to protesters.
The PPP has accused the PML-N of colluding with the Pakistan Army to rig the elections. Protesters and opposition leaders also allege that Field Marshal Asim Munir is seeking tighter control over PoK by ensuring the installation of a leader aligned with the military establishment.
Protesters have now announced plans to march to Muzaffarabad to voice their opposition to what they describe as a heavily manipulated election. They allege that Pakistan’s extensive interference in the administration of PoK has undermined the democratic process and left the region with little or no development.
Another official said that the protesters, who have held out against every atrocity committed by the security forces, are not going to leave anytime soon. There have been protests in PoK earlier, but Pakistan has always managed to put them down. This was done either by force or by making promises which were never kept by the political class of Pakistan.
“This time, the situation is different. The people of the region are determined to make their voices heard, even if it comes at a very high cost,” the official said.
Officials say that the security buildup is massive. They have been instructed to carry out intermittent firing at protest sites at regular intervals.
Pakistan hopes it can scare the protesters and get them back down, the official added.
Experts say that the situation in the region was already tense, and the completion of the electoral process is unlikely to restore normalcy anytime soon.
In fact, matters are only going to get worse, and the new government in PoK will find it very difficult to function. The people are demanding accountability, and they are well aware that the new government has come to power only after a lot of rigging took place, the experts say.
Officials say that PoK would continue to remain on the edge.
The challenge for Pakistan has grown significantly as the protests are no longer confined to Rawalakot. People from across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have joined the agitation, which is now spreading rapidly across the region. Once larger crowds begin to mobilise, Pakistani security forces will face an increasingly difficult task in containing the unrest, the official said.
