Report exposes India’s role in orchestrating protests in AJK
Islamabad: Recent protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have drawn attention, but a report has revealed a hidden agenda behind these demonstrations, attributing them to hostile intelligence agencies, particularly India, aiming to create chaos and destabilize Pakistan.
The report, released by Kashmir Media Service, highlights that rogue elements, orchestrated by Indian intelligence agency RAW, are exploiting local grievances to further anti-state narratives. It deplored that these efforts coincide with Pakistan’s efforts to recover from economic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and global inflationary pressures.
The economic downturn post-2018, marked by currency devaluation and IMF-imposed austerity measures, saw inflation peak in 2021 and 2022. However, the report noted that 2023 brought signs of economic recovery, including stabilizing currency and improved market performance. As these improvements emerged, external actors ramped up efforts to disrupt Pakistan’s stability through propaganda and engineered unrest in AJK.
The report said that certain political entities, ignoring regulations, collaborated with anti-state elements to exploit public discontent over inflation and a presidential ordinance. AJK Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq specifically alleged that the Awami Action Committee received funding from India to fuel dissent.
The report compared Pakistan’s right to safeguard its national security with international examples, such as the U.S. banning TikTok and the EU restricting social media platforms, stressing the need for decisive actions to counter external threats.
Despite meeting demands with a 23-billion-rupee grant, protests in AJK persisted into May 2024, which the report attributed to external interference rather than genuine local grievances. It further criticized India’s propaganda campaigns, accusing RAW of attempting to brainwash AJK residents while diverting global attention from its own human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and mainland India.
The report emphasized the need for Pakistan to maintain focus on the Kashmir dispute at international forums, alongside public awareness campaigns to counter India’s false narrative. It concluded by reiterating India’s record of state-sponsored human rights abuses in IIOJK and its ongoing anti-Pakistan propaganda, urging vigilance and proactive measures to expose such malicious efforts.
