Human rights activist and chairman of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, has said Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Taking to his Twitter handle, he said Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is not authorised to allot POK’s land to non-state subjects.
Shaukat Ali Kashmiri tweeted, “The POK (Azad Kashmir) is part and parcel of the former princely state of J&K, and its future status has yet to be decided. The nature of the dispute was disputed, and according to UNS resolutions, Pakistan lacked lucus standi. AJK so-called PM is not authorised to allot state land to a non-state subject.”
Kashmiri’s tweet was in response to a tweet from an unverified account. According to the tweet, almost three acres of land have been granted for Sindh House in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
In January, United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) spokesperson Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan met Canadian Member of Parliament George Chahal and briefed him about the human rights situation, growing extremism and terrorism in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan extended the good wishes and appreciation message of the exiled chairman of UKPNP to Chahal for his participation in the UKPNP Calgary Conference. Khan briefed Chahal regarding the human rights situation in Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, including the growth of terrorism and extremism and the free-roaming of banned outfits in PoK.
He further said unemployment, inflation, lack of infrastructure, discrimination towards Kashmiri nationalists, strict restrictions on freedom of expression, press, and publications, and freedom of association in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are the main concerns.
Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan tweeted, “Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, Central Spokesperson for the UKPNP, met with Honorable #GeorgeChahal Member of Parliament #Canada and briefed him on the human rights situation, growing extremism, and terrorism in #AzadKashmir and #GilgitBaltistan both leader agreed to work jointly on future endeavors.”
Shaukat Ali Kashmiri had previously expressed concern about the deprivation of basic human rights in Gilgit Baltistan in December of last year.
Taking a dig at Pakistan, the rights activist said Gilgit-Baltistan is part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, and Pakistan’s policy is aimed at depriving the people of their fundamental rights and propagating against Indian involvement.