Geneva

The Chairman of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, urged Pakistan to refrain from deploying its troops in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

He delivered his statement during the ongoing 56th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.

"We have received reports from PoJK indicating that the Pakistani administration is redeploying Frontier Corps (FC) units there. It's crucial to recognise that PoJK is a disputed region, and therefore, Pakistan should not deploy its forces there," Kashmiri stated in a video message.

He continued, "Such actions cause distress among the local population. Pakistan must withdraw its troops from PoJK to prevent further unrest among the people and the administration."

Kashmiri also criticised Pakistan for what he described as contradictory policies and demanded the release of all detainees from Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit Baltistan and PoJK.

"While Pakistan has released activists detained in PoJK, it has also filed numerous cases against members of the Awami Action Committee (AAC) in PoJK and Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB). We demand the immediate release of all detainees from PoGB and PoJK, and urge Pakistan to address the grievances of the public," the chairman said.

Jamil Maqsood, Former Central Secretary of Foreign Affairs for UKPNP, expressed solidarity with AAC members and raised concerns about the FIRs filed against activists from PoJK and PoGB.

He further called on Pakistan to honour the demands outlined by the Joint Awami Action Committee.

"The AAC's demands must be met, and any deployment of FC or Punjab Constabulary by the Pakistani administration could escalate tensions rather than maintain peace and security in the region," Maqsood emphasised in his video statement.

Recently, PoJK has seen widespread protests driven primarily by dissatisfaction over high electricity bills and inflation.

Residents in several cities and towns protested against the rising cost of living and what they perceived as inadequate government response to economic hardships.

In response to the protests, Pakistan deployed security forces, including Pakistani Rangers, and arrested many demonstrators, filing FIRs against them. Several locals were reportedly killed in clashes with police during the weeks-long agitation.

Political parties from PoJK, including UKPNP, are demanding justice and the withdrawal of false cases against residents involved in the protests.