Thousands march to frontier in Pakistani Kashmir

[Kailash Kumar]

Thousands march to frontier in Pakistani Kashmir

today

Supporters of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front start marching toward the Line of Control, in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. Thousands of people in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir have begun marching toward the highly militarized Line of Control that divides the territory between Pakistan and India to protest the lockdown in Indian-administered Kashmir.

MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Thousands of people in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir have begun marching toward the highly militarized Line of Control that divides the territory between Pakistan and India to protest the lockdown in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Toqeer Gillani, a leader of Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front, said Saturday the group will cross the frontier near Chakoti. He said they would spend the night at the midway point and resume their on-foot journey early Sunday.

Senior police officer Arshad Naqvi said no one would be allowed to get to the Line of Control due to security concerns.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan warned against crossing the line. He said on Twitter that that would support the “Indian narrative.” India blames Pakistan for militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

New Delhi imposed a strict curfew on Aug. 5 after stripping Indian-controlled Kashmir of its statehood.

https://www.apnews.com/effc20c8a6ab407b95f2cdda52ca75b6

 

[Dual Wielder]

I have mixed feelings about this, I understand their feelings towards their brothers and sisters on the other side of the cease fire line, but any reckless move would likely distract our brave soldiers who are guarding the CFL, and could also put their lives in danger (including our soldiers), especially when coward Indians are always looking for an easy kill.. shame on Britannia for giving birth to an uncivilized nation that is India..

 

[Ahmad Bhutta]

Thousands of kashmiris from Pakistan kashmir go to loc to cross border but are sent backed by pak army
But how long can pak army hold them back these Kashmiris in pak have their families under siege in Indian kashmir for 52 days now

 

[khansaheeb]

I have mixed feelings about this, I understand their feelings towards their brothers and sisters on the other side of the cease fire line, but any reckless move would likely distract our brave soldiers who are guarding the CFL, and could also put their lives in danger (including our soldiers), especially when coward Indians are always looking for an easy kill.. shame on Britannia for giving birth to an uncivilized nation that is India..

The Mughals spared them because they were too ugly to breed with.

 

[Kailash Kumar]

JKLF protest bound for Chakothi village near LoC stopped by containers

Tariq Naqash

October 06, 2019

Protest participants stopped near Jiskool by containers, barbed wires, electricity poles and mounds of earth.

Participants of the ‘peoples’ freedom march’ under the aegis of pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) have reached near Jiskool, a spot where the administration and police have blocked Muzaffarabad-Srinagar highway by placing containers, barbed wires, electricity poles and mounds of earth, witnesses said.

“Hum le ke rahengay azadi (We will get freedom by all means),” they were heard chanting constantly, while waving flags of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and their party (JKLF).

Muhammad Rafiq Dar, central spokesperson for the JKLF, said the march was a peaceful programme aimed at expressing solidarity with the besieged Kashmiris and drawing the attention of the international community towards the urgent need of an immediate and peaceful settlement to the long pending [Kashmir] issue. He said that his group did not want to engage in any kind of confrontation with the local law enforcement personnel.

“We are not for any kind of confrontation or violence because that will serve the Indian purpose,” he told Dawn.

Dar urged the AJK administration to remove the containers so that the marchers could reach Chakothi, a village which is 3 kilometres before the Line of Control (LoC) but is overlooked by Indian gun positions atop lofty mountains across the divide.

“I hope they will allow us carry on our peaceful march to the town of Chakothi,” he said.

Earlier, the marchers had started their journey from Garhi Dupatta, located some 20 kilometres south of Muzaffarabad, at 10:30am, but on vehicles and motorcycles.

The caravan reached Hattian Bala, 40kms from Muzaffarbad, at about 12:15pm, where they were warmly welcomed by local residents.

“It was really a rousing welcome,” said Saleem Haroon, one of the JKLF leaders.

The caravan being welcomed in Hattian Bala.

A little before Hattian Bala, the caravan was joined by another rally that had started from Bagh via the famous hill resorts of Sudhan Galli and Chikar.

From Hattian Bala, the marchers once again started walking on foot and reached Chinari by 3:15pm.

Chinari is located around 50 kilometres from Muzaffarabad and some 11 kilometres before the LoC. There, the participants had taken a break for refreshments and Zuhr prayers.

Jiskool, close to where the caravan has currently stopped, is located around two kilometres ahead of Chinari.

Video clips shared by the participants on social media showed exemplary response of locals, who offered food, fresh fruits, juices and water to the marchers apart from showering rose petals on them.

While in Chinari, the JKLF central spokesperson had told Dawn that they would hold consultations for their next course of action.

“We know the road ahead is blocked. And the place where the containers have been laid is narrow with steep mountains and river [Jhelum] on the right and left, respectively [...] We don’t want even a single participant to suffer any harm there,” he said.

“We have to save our energies for [confrontation with] India.”

A gathering in the ground of Boys Degree College Chinari.

Dar had anticipated that by sunset the crowd would thin out, and the rest of the participants would stage a sit-in half a kilometre before the containers until the next move.

On the other side of the containers in Jiskool, Divisional Commissioner Chaudhry Imtiaz, Deputy Inspector General Police Sardar Ilyas Khan, Jhelum Valley Deputy Commissioner Imran Shaheen and Superintendent Police Arshad Naqvi were also present.

Leaders of the march had been invited by the administration for talks.

“We have already humbly informed the organisers that there is a serious threat of Indian shelling. The Indians would not only target the marchers but also the entire civilian population in this area, something they have never hesitated from in the past," Imtiaz told Dawn by telephone.

When asked if the marchers could be allowed up to Chakothi for a sit-in there, he said: “It is our primary responsibility to protect [the lives of] the marchers. The last point where we could allow them to reach is this [Jiskool]. Beyond this point is the firing range, therefore there is no question of allowing them,” he said.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1509323/j...akothi-village-near-loc-stopped-by-containers