Author:
Publication: The Times of India
Date: June 14, 2001
Accusing Pakistan of dual standards
on the issue of Kashmir, a conglomerate of political groups in Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir (PoK) has said Islamabad was "shedding crocodile tears on the issue
of self-determination for Kashmiris while denying the same in areas under
its occupation."
The All-Parties National Alliance
(APNA), a conglomerate of 13 political parties in PoK, Gilgit and Baltistan,
said in a memorandum to the United Nations that "Pakistan was denying the
basic right to contest the elections to all pro-independence groups."
Pakistani government has refused
to accept any nomination form without the candidate accepting the accession
of the occupied territory as a part of Pakistan.
This led to a serious brawl between
pro-independence groups, including Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF)
and Pakistani rulers who cracked down on JKLF activists in PoK, APNA said.
Flaying the military regime in Islamabad
for having announced a farcical election in the occupied territory, convener
of APNA Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, who is also the chairman of United
Kashmir People's National Party, said the conglomerate was not opposed
to any democratic means but "the military government has resorted to undemocratic
means and is trying to impose a government on the people in the guise of
elections."
"Pro-independence Kashmiris are
not allowed to stand and contest the elections. Only those people are allowed
to contest who believe Kashmir's accession to Pakistan is final," Kashmiri
said in his memorandum.
"Despite the fact that the Pakistani
government shed crocodile tears and called for self-determination for Kashmiris,
they deny this right to the people in areas under their occupation," Kashmiri
said.
He also raised the voice on behalf
of nearly two million people living in Gilgit and Baltistan who had no
right to vote as Pakistan had illegally annexed the territory and denied
it the right to be part of PoK.
Other groups of APNA have also objected
to the method of elections in the PoK and said this shows the insincerity
of Pakistan government towards Kashmir issue.
The military government recently
arrested nine JKLF leaders in Karachi, media reports said.
The Islamabad regime was cracking
down on the activists of JKLF, not only in PoK, but also in the rest of
country, JKLF sources said. (PTI)
