MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider on Sunday kicked off a detailed tour to areas along the Line of Control (LoC) to express sympathy and solidarity with the victims of unprovoked Indian shelling on unarmed civilian population.

In the first leg of his tour, he flew into Samahni sector in Bhimber district and Khuiratta and Charhoi sectors in Kotli district, where he addressed several gatherings, according to an official press release.

Addressing a big gathering in Samahni sector, he paid glowing tribute to residents along the LoC for their bravery and resilience in the face of Indian shelling.

Assuring the people of occupied Kashmir that they were not alone in the most testing times of their heroic struggle for liberation, he asked the Indian government to lift curfew, restore communication links and essential supplies to the disputed territory before agreeing to a lasting solution to the lingering issue in accordance with wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiris.

He told the gathering that a committee of heads of all AJK-based political and religious parties had decided to put on hold a proposed march towards the LoC until Prime Minister Imran Khan’s speech to the UN General Assembly later this month.

AJK premier visits victims of Indian shelling in areas along LoC

“But I warn Mr Narendra Modi against any delusions. Kashmiris on both sides (of the LoC) have shown their true mettle and proved many a times that your brute but coward army cannot subdue them with any amount of repression,” he said.

Mr Haider vowed that AJK would be turned into a graveyard of Indian soldiers if Mr Modi dared to resort to any misadventure across the LoC.

“The people, the government and armed forces of Pakistan stand by us with full commitment. Rest assured, we will protect not only residents living along the Line of Control (LoC) but also our subjugated brethren inside the occupied territory,” he said.

The AJK prime minister said that Islam is a religion of peace but at the same time it teaches its followers to help the oppressed without fearing the power of the oppressor.

“Allah has ordained us to do jihad but the state alone can declare it... You should prepare yourselves because the time [for a war] is approaching,” he said.

“A massive movement against India will be launched from the base camp (AJK) of freedom struggle. We have to get rid of this ill-omened line,” he added, referring to the LoC.

Mr Haider pointed out that every man, woman and child in occupied Kashmir was offering unparalleled sacrifices.

“They are challenging a savage army empty handed with stones their only weapon and in order to make their historic sacrifices result-oriented we will have to add our blood to their blood,” he said.

While speaking at Charhoi and Khuiratta, Mr Haider warned the international community against dangerous designs of Mr Modi, and said, if unchecked, these could push the entire region to utter devastation.

He said that India’s intention behind incessant ceasefire violations was to demoralise the people of the liberated territory on the one hand and divert attention from the locked-down territory on the other.

“But neither can India subdue the residents along the ceasefire line with such cowardly acts nor can it divert attention from the nightmarish situation in occupied Kashmir,” he said.

He also paid rich tribute to armed forces who he said were protecting frontiers from Indian aggression with active support of local population.

During the tour, the AJK premier inspected some damaged properties along the LoC and assured maximum possible assistance to victims.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2019