New Delhi: The uprising in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) shows no signs of abating, and the situation remains dire. Although the unrest has persisted for over two months, protesters remain unwilling to back down. Matters have escalated to the point where everyone from ordinary citizens to the protesters themselves has begun comparing the Pakistan Army to courtesans.
The steadily growing number of protesters serves as an alarm bell for Pakistan. Significantly, amidst the uprising, the people have also announced a boycott of the elections. Chinar Chowk and D-Chowk in Rawalakot are packed with large crowds of protesters.
Meanwhile, following threats from Aman Khan and citing security concerns, the PoK Election Commission has postponed voting for seven of the eleven seats scheduled for August 10 until further notice. The administration was completely taken aback by the protesters’ boycott.
No Voting on Monday
On August 10, voting will take place only for three seats in the Bagh district and one seat in Haveli. Protesters have announced a boycott of the elections for these four seats. In a last-ditch effort 72 hours before the polls, public rallies were held in the Bagh district by Shahbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and Bilawal Bhutto’s PPP.
The impact of the election boycott was clearly visible at both rallies; only a handful of people attended. The influence of the protesters taking to the streets is evident, as bus services between Punjab and PoK have been severely disrupted since June 9.
The PML had transported its workers in buses bearing Punjab registration plates in an attempt to draw a crowd for Rana Sanaullah’s rally. However, due to the uprising in PoK, none of Pakistan’s tactics worked. In Bagh, a mule was garlanded and showered with money to symbolise Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Pakistani Army Likened to Courtesans
In Rawalakot, PoK, the Pakistani Army has also come under fire, with comparisons being drawn to courtesans. At Chinar Chowk in Rawalakot, Sardar Aman Khan, a prominent figure in the uprising, likened Pakistani Army soldiers to courtesans, stating that they are killing people out of greed for money at the behest of colonels and generals.
They are killing people in broad daylight. As on other days, the Pakistani Army fired shots into the air around 8 PM on Saturday to intimidate the protesters in Rawalakot. Despite this, the protesters remain unwilling to back down; their uprising has now entered its 61st day.
PM’s Advisor Labels Protesters as Terrorists
Rana Sanaullah, an advisor to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, labelled the protesters as terrorists. He claimed that years ago, they had been trained to carry out terrorist attacks against India but have now turned against Pakistan.
