PoK crisis escalates: Atrocity fears mount as Pakistan’s disinformation campaign intensifies

New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) The next 24 hours would be crucial for the residents of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) with both the protesters and the establishment showing no signs of relenting and the State intensifying its disinformation campaign against the demonstrators.

The Indian agencies, too, are closely watching the developments and the Intelligence community has warned that the Pakistan establishment would look to spread more disinformation as a diversionary tactic in the next few days.

Pakistan’s establishment-based social media handles have already upped the rhetoric by blaming the protesters and stating that India has been backing them with funding.

An official said that the current situation in PoK is extremely tense as major atrocities are being reported and the security agencies have indulged in brutality.

Moreover, 150 activists have been added to the Anti-Terror Fourth Schedule by the Pakistan government.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that looking at the developments, it is clear that the establishment is not interested in talks. It has made an offer, but the activists, too, have refused to talk as they realise that the establishment is not being honest.

They say that even if talks do take place, the Pakistan establishment would not fulfil promises, the official added.

Another official said what is worrying is the massive build up of forces in PoK. People are being shot at and homes of those protesting seeking legitimate demands are being vandalised.

The bigger worry is that the Pakistan establishment is no longer treating these as protests. The official said that they are being treated as terrorists and this is being made into an excuse to open fire on them.

The protesters have now given an ultimatum to the Pakistan establishment to withdraw the Rangers from PoK. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) which is leading the protests says that Pakistan has no right to increase military presence in the region.

The establishment must withdraw its military within the next 24 hours, the JAAC has said.

Meanwhile, the establishment’s social media handles have been posting at the behest of the military. A false narrative is being built up about the protesters taking up arms and firing at the security forces.

Officials say that the people have been protesting and making demands for the betterment of their region. They have been resisting the security forces but have not taken up arms as is being claimed by the Pakistan establishment.

The official added that it is clear that Pakistan is not ready to give in to the demands of the people who have been discriminated against for several years.

Instead, the establishment wants to brand them as terrorists. They are using sedition and anti-terror laws and want to portray to the international community that Pakistan is battling against terrorists and not ordinary people.

Further, it also wants to tell the international community that India is funding the protesters and instigating people of PoK, which otherwise was a very peaceful region.

The truth is that over the last two weeks, the Pakistani security forces have killed an unknown number of people and detained 1,500 peaceful protesters, an official said.

The official said that the security forces also vandalised the house of Shaukat Nawaz, a prominent activist leading the protests.

Intelligence agencies say that both sides are showing no signs of backing down. The worry is that with the protesters getting even more determined, there could be a brute use of force-the worst since the protests began, officials warn.

–IANS

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