Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Human Rights, Pakistan State Repression, ISI Terrorism, Human Rights Violations, Kashmir Bachai Conference, Rawalpindi, Baltistan, Gilgit, POK

Mar 2007 Edition

A Letter from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir

(Authors name withheld to protect their human rights.)

ISI - Promoting Terrorism in the World
Rawalpindi, Feb 5, 2007:
A conference was held on February 4, 2007, in Holiday Inn Islamabad, in connection with the 'Kashmir Bachao' (save Kashmir) campaign. The conference was arranged by the pro-Pakistan 'Kashmir Committee', which receives full cooperation from Pakistani establishment and the ISI.

Attendees included pro-establishment dignitaries and army generals like General Hameed Gul, who remained Chief of ISI for a long time. The speakers preached revival of 'jehad' in Indian Kashmir as the only solution of Jammu Kashmir dispute. They termed that the dispute of J&K is not just the problem of the people of J&K, but that of Muslim Ummah, or Nation. Among the speakers was Mr. Sardar Arif Shahid, a well known journalist, the Secretary General of JK National Liberation Front (JKNLF), and a member of All Parties National Alliance (APNA). APNA is a union of political parties from Pakistani occupied J&K, Gilgit and Baltistan, and this group is seeking self determination for the local people. Mr. Arif was invited by one of the organizers, whom he knew personally.

In his speech, he contradicted the views put forth by the pro-establishment speakers, especially the army generals. He emphasized that "Kashmir issue could only be resolved through peaceful struggle and dialogue and not through militancy and 'jehad'. IF Kashmir is to be saved from anybody, then it is the rulers and ruling class of Pakistan, because this issue is unresolved due to the wrong policies and practices of Muslim League, Army and Pakistani politicians''.

Mr. Arif left the conference at about 4 pm, when two persons on a motorbike followed him all the way to his house at Adiala Road, Rawalpindi. Around 6:30 pm, he was informed that around 25 men have reached in front of his house, riding motorbikes and jeeps. They have surrounded his house. Some of them have climbed on the roof tops of adjoining houses. All these men have weapons. His telephone, mobile and other home phone lines were immediately disrupted.

The armed men stayed there for around 10 hours. During this time, visitors were not allowed to enter his house and those who insisted faced physical and verbal abuse. He and his family were under house arrest and completely helpless. The men shouted from outside and abused Mr. Arif for provoking anti-government feelings among the participants of the conference. They tried to provoke Mr Arif to retaliate and escalate the situation in their favor. Mr Arif however, remained calm and did not answer to their abuses. He did not want to give any excuse to the assailants to hurt him and his family physically.

Meanwhile, one of his visitors who was sent back and brutalized earlier, called Mr. Khalid Habib, who resides in Europe. Mr. Habib contacted friends, relatives and party workers of Mr. Arif in Pakistan and informed them about the serious situation, and consequences in case no one intervenes on behalf of government. It was feared that the snipers were creating a situation where Mr Arif would be made to come outside his house, and would be shot there.

Political activists and party-men like Shaukat Maqbool Butt, Sardar Anwar, Mirza Wajahat Hassan Khan, Col (R) Mirza Nadir Hassan Khan, Sardar Sabir Kashmiri, Sardar Aftab Ahmed Khan and others were then informed of vandalism to his house, and state sponsored terrorism. As the words spread, his party members arrived at his place around 1 am on February 5, 2007. Through government intervention, siege was lifted around 6 am and phone connections were restored after that. Snipers walked away calmly and no one dared registering a case against them. Officials from the office of Minister for Interior, Communication and Information were contacted but in vain. It was well clear that the orders of this action came from 'above', and the assailants will not be caught or punished.

Mr. Arif Shahid didn't preach violence, terrorism, militancy and bloodshed, but appealed for peace, dialogue and spoke the truth right in the face of plunderers and exploiters of Pakistan. He was punished for speaking truth in front of those army generals, who felt threat towards their "Terrorism Breeding Farms", the farms (Madrassahs and Jehadi training camps) that produce thousands of militants every month and there is no end to this profitable business.

This is not the first time that someone from Pakistani occupied regions of Gilgit and Baltistan has been terrorized. Political activists from Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Gilgit and Baltistan regions including Sardar Shaukat Ali kashmiri, Chairman of United Kashmir Peoples National Party, Shafqat Ali Inqalabi of Karakoram National Movement, Mr. Bilal Qazalbash, Mr Manzoor Parwana, President of Gilgit Baltistan United Movement, Mr Shehzad Agha, Chairman of Gilgit Baltistan National Movement and Syed Sharf-Ud-Din have become victims of ISI sponsored terrorism, not mentioning names of thousands others here, who are still missing and tortured in the ISI cells. Again, not to mention the poor and innocent Balochis, Sindhis and religious minorities of Pakistan missing and jailed whose number go up to millions.

Please help us restore freedom of expression and political activity to Gilgit, Baltistan, Mirpur and Muzaffarabad regions of the Pakistani occupied J&K. Spread the word and call those who can influence Pakistani government to restore autonomy in its occupied J&K parts; open all trade routes between Ladakh and Baltistan, and Astore and Srinagar.

Sincerely,

Concerned Citizens from the Region (Names Withheld Upon Request and Concern for Human Rights)

Also see an article on Balti Human Rights: Baltistan: A People Divided and Un-represented