PoK residents protest against Pakistani Militants infiltrating into J&K

[Singh]

Protests over renewed militant activity have been held in the Neelum Valley region of PoK

Locals say that Pakistan-based militants are flocking to the area and crossing into Indian-administered Kashmir to launch attacks there.

They fear that retaliatory fire from the Indian side may threaten a 2003 ceasefire and life in the valley.

The Neelum Valley was a major staging-post for militants from 1990 to 2003.

It is a long, narrow strip of land, most of which lies within the firing range of soldiers in Indian-administered Kashmir.

It was one of the worst-affected areas along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the disputed region of Kashmir.

Its tricky mountain passes meant that it was an important transit route for militants crossing into Indian-administered Kashmir.

Throughout that period, retaliatory fire from the Indians killed hundreds of residents, destroyed homes, hospitals and schools and forced people to spend most of their daily lives in bunkers.

Cross-border tension
But as it is so remote information about the latest spate of protests in the Neelum valley has trickled out slowly.

An Indian army spokesman told the BBC in early September that attempts by militants to cross over had heightened tensions on the border.

Two incidents of cross-border firing left at least four Pakistani soldiers dead in the first week of September.

And locals in the valley also told the BBC's Zulfiqar Ali that there has been an increased militant presence.

During a congregation to mark the holy festival of Eid on 31 August, residents of the town of Athmuqam passed a resolution which declared that any attempt to disrupt peace in the area would be resisted by the people.

A week later, two large demonstrations were held in Athmuqam to protest against the influx of militants which it is argued has sparked border skirmishes between Pakistani and Indian forces.

On Tuesday, hundreds of school children held another protest march in the town, submitting a list of demands to officials at a military camp.

Locals told our correspondent that the language and dress of most of the militants coming to the area suggests that they are from the Punjab province of Pakistan.

The Indian government has also accused Pakistan of sending militants to Indian-administered Kashmir to attack its forces there. Pakistan denies this charge, and says that Indian Kashmir is facing an indigenous insurgency.


BBC News - Anti-militant protests in Pakistan's Neelum valley

 

[pmaitra]

Excellent find. Must be flashed across the world. Thanks for posting.

 

[SADAKHUSH]

I am pretty sure this is being carried out in co-ordination with China. It increases every time there is some sort of tension between India and China.
Whether some of the readers like it or not it has to be resolved with the lethal force from the Indian side to break up the back of trainers. We cannot be held hostage under the nuclear threat. It should have been done in earlier 1990's as there was no threat of Nukes.

GOI is sitting on it's dumb ass and not taking any retaliatory action. I have always maintained sooner it is done that much better.

 

[ejazr]

Anti militant rallied in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir

The militant camps were being activated post 2010 according to some reports and now they seem to be in full flow, so much so that local residents have started organizing protest rallied against them.

BBC News - Anti-militant protests in Pakistan's Neelum valley

Protests over renewed militant activity have been held in the Neelum Valley region of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, the BBC has learned.

Locals say that Pakistan-based militants are flocking to the area and crossing into Indian-administered Kashmir to launch attacks there.

They fear that retaliatory fire from the Indian side may threaten a 2003 ceasefire and life in the valley.

The Neelum Valley was a major staging-post for militants from 1990 to 2003.

It is a long, narrow strip of land, most of which lies within the firing range of soldiers in Indian-administered Kashmir.

It was one of the worst-affected areas along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the disputed region of Kashmir.

Its tricky mountain passes meant that it was an important transit route for militants crossing into Indian-administered Kashmir.

Throughout that period, retaliatory fire from the Indians killed hundreds of residents, destroyed homes, hospitals and schools and forced people to spend most of their daily lives in bunkers.

The Hindu also reported the protests

The Hindu : News / International : Women in Neelum Valley protest against presence of terror groups
Residents of Neelum Valley in 'Azad Jammu & Kashmir' are reportedly up in arms over renewed terrorist activity in their area which used to be the staging post for terrorists entering Jammu & Kashmir through the 1990s.

A local civil society organisation `Press for Peace' claimed that a large number of women protested last weekend against recent activities of some banned jihadi groups in the Neelum Valley. According to the PFP, the women also approached the Pakistan Army in Athmuqam – the district headquarters of Neelum Valley – and urged the officers to stop the "militants" from crossing into the Indian side of Kashmir.

Their main fear is that terrorist activity in their area would once again adversely affect the relative peace that has held on both sides of the Line of Control since 2003 ceasefire. With memories of regular crossfire along the LoC still fresh, their fear is that the presence of jihadi organisations in the area would adversely affect their lives.