Dozens of people were severely injured in Kotli town of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) when police resort to baton-charge the demonstrators who were holding a peaceful rally demanding their due share of rights in the country. Kashmiri protestors have been claiming that they have been deprived of their basic rights under Islamabad’s seven-decade misrule in the region. In order to disperse the protestors Police even lobbed tear gas shells during the protest rally.
The anti-Pak protest is a result of an anti-establishment rage that has been mounting amongst the people of PoK against the autocratic authorities of Pakistan.
An array of protests has erupted across PoK over a step-motherly treatment meted out by Islamabad. While the security forces have been given a high handedness to deal with voices of dissent emerging in the region, local residents are still hopeful of a change in approach under the present leadership of newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan.
A protestor reportedly said, “This is our tax money which is filling the coffers of the rulers. We have been trying to build a hospital for years. Prime Ministers, one after the other, have only made empty promises. We just want our rights.”
“We don’t want our children to blame us like the way we do our ancestors. So, get up and move forward to claim your rights,” the protester added.
