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India Gazette
06-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Exiled leader Jamil Maqsood slams judicial injustice in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir
Brussels [Belgium], July 6 (ANI): Jamil Maqsood, President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) and currently living in exile in Belgium, has issued a scathing critique of the judicial and administrative structure in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). In a comprehensive legal paper titled 'The Incapability of the Judicial System in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir Under Pakistani Administrative Control: A Constitutional and Legal Critique', Maqsood exposed what he describes as a facade of autonomy and a systematically weakened judiciary under the tight control of Islamabad. Maqsood argued that although Pakistan claims PoJK as a self-governed region, the ground reality is one of total subjugation, enabled by the 1974 Interim Constitution, a legal instrument that he said was imposed to strip PoJK of its autonomy. He highlights that 53 out of 56 critical administrative and policy subjects are directly controlled by Pakistan, leaving the local government and judiciary virtually powerless. 'The judiciary in PoJK is a showpiece. It cannot act independently, interpret the constitution freely, or hold the military and intelligence agencies accountable,' Maqsood states in the paper. He also criticised the practice of appointing lent officers from Pakistan, including top bureaucrats, judges, and police officials, who are not answerable to the people of PoJK but instead follow the directives of Islamabad. The paper pointed to Article 257 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which states that the future of Jammu and Kashmir must be decided in accordance with the wishes of its people. Maqsood asserted that by overriding local institutions and installing unelected officials, Pakistan is itself in violation of its constitutional commitments. In his concluding recommendations, Maqsood called for urgent and concrete measures to restore judicial and political autonomy in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of all lent officers from Pakistan who currently hold key administrative and judicial positions in the region. He further urged the repeal or substantial revision of the 1974 Interim Constitution, which he argued serves as the primary instrument of Islamabad's control. Additionally, he advocated for the establishment of an independent judicial commission in PoJK to ensure merit-based appointments and uphold the rule of law. Finally, Maqsood emphasised the need for Pakistan to comply with both Article 257 of its own Constitution and relevant United Nations resolutions to respect the political will and self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He called for the restoration of genuine autonomy, warning that the existing system undermines the credibility of Pakistan internationally and robs the people of PoJK of justice, dignity, and political agency. Jamil Maqsood has long been an outspoken voice from exile, consistently highlighting issues of human rights violations, press censorship, and political repression in PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. His latest paper adds legal weight to growing international concerns about Islamabad's policies in these regions. Observers say such criticism from within the diaspora is gaining ground as local media in PoJK remains under tight surveillance and judicial independence continues to erode. (ANI)
India Gazette
25-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
UKPNP protests at UNHRC over rights violations in PoJK, PoGB
Geneva [Switzerland], June 25 (ANI): The United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) held a demonstration outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva during the 59th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, raising pressing concerns about ongoing human rights abuses in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB). The protest aimed to shed light on the suffering of individuals living under what the UKPNP referred to as the 'colonial rule of Pakistan,' and to demand justice, transparency, and accountability from the international community. In a statement released by Jamil Maqsood, the President of the UKPNP's Foreign Affairs Committee, the party expressed its dedication to the universal values enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and various other international human rights treaties. The UKPNP reminded the global community that every person has the right to life, liberty, and personal security, and should be safeguarded from arbitrary arrest, torture, and extrajudicial killings--rights that, according to the party, are frequently violated in these areas. The UKPNP voiced deep concern over the extrajudicial murders of two brothers, Zarnish Naseem and Jibran Naseem, in Rawalakot, which is located in PoJK. The UKPNP labelled this event as representative of state-sponsored violence that persists with impunity in the region. The party condemned Pakistan's inability to provide justice and called for a transparent and unbiased inquiry into the murders. They demanded the establishment of an independent judicial commission comprising members from the judiciary, civil society, and international human rights observers to hold the perpetrators accountable and offer closure to the families of the victims. The UKPNP further denounced the ongoing and systematic infringement of basic rights in both PoJK and PoGB. These violations include arbitrary arrests, torture of political activists, enforced disappearances, suppression of peaceful demonstrations, and a total media blackout. The party contended that the inhabitants of these regions are deprived of essential constitutional, political, and economic rights, making it unfeasible for them to lead lives of dignity and freedom. Moreover, the UKPNP called on the Pakistan government to adhere to international human rights standards and to put an end to the excessive force and unlawful detentions carried out by police and paramilitary forces. They also demanded unrestricted access for international human rights organisations, United Nations Special Rapporteurs, and fact-finding missions to evaluate the situation independently on the ground. Concluding their protest, the United Kashmir People's National Party reiterated its call for urgent measures to ensure justice, uphold the rule of law, and restore fundamental freedoms in both PoJK and PoGB. 'Silence and inaction empower violators and exacerbate the suffering of the oppressed,' the party stated, appealing to the international community, particularly the United Nations Human Rights Council, to take significant notice of these violations and to urge Pakistan to fulfil its obligations regarding international human rights. (ANI)
India Gazette
10-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
UKPNP condemns arrest of Kashmiri journalist in PoJK
Geneva [Switzerland], June 10 (ANI): Exiled chairman of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, UKPNP central spokesperson Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan and UKPNP Foreign Affairs Committee President Jamil Maqsood, along with the central leadership of the party has strongly condemned the arbitrary arrest of Kashmiri journalist Usman Tariq from Neelum, in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). UKPNP released an official press statement in which party leaders emphasised that the retaliatory actions against journalists in PoJK represent a flagrant violation of press freedom and an alarming height of suppression of freedom of expression. In the statement, the UKPNP leaders said that the retaliatory actions against journalists in PoJK represent the height of oppression of the free press. It demanded that freedom of expression and freedom of the press and media must be honoured. The UKPNP cited Articles 19 and 19A of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), emphasizing that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. UKPNP leaders highlighted that Pakistan is treating the disputed territories of PoJK and Gilgit Baltistan as its colonies, violating international norms. They noted that PoJK has been declared a 'security zone' where the international community, including human rights observers and journalists, are denied access. The statement said, 'They further said that those who raise legitimate concerns about human rights violations, unemployment, underdevelopment, rising extremism and terrorism, and systemic injustice are being targeted by the puppet administration in Muzaffarabad under the direct influence of Islamabad.' UKPNP urged the United Nations, international human rights organisations, and media watchdogs to intervene and hold Pakistan accountable. The regions of PoJK and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan have faced discrimination and human rights violations for decades. People are being denied basic human rights and have many times raised their voice and the regions have witnessed massive protests on various occasions, however they have got nothing but only false promises. (ANI)
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
PoJK: Student leader abducted, tortured before exam in Rawalakot; condition critical
Rawalakot [PoJK], May 26 (ANI): A student leader from the Jhelum Valley in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Javed Ishaq Chauhan, was abducted from his university hostel in Rawalakot and brutally tortured before being dumped by the roadside, according to a statement by United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) spokesperson Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan. Chauhan, currently enrolled at the University of Poonch in Rawalakot, was scheduled to appear for an examination at 11 am the following day. He is now fighting for his life and undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalakot. His condition is reported to be critical. Condemning the attack, Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan said, 'Abducting a student from his hostel and subjecting him to brutal torture, especially before an exam, is not only cruel but also an alarming indicator of rising oppression in so-called Azad Kashmir.' Chauhan had been receiving threats for his active participation in a program organised by the Action Committee, a platform known for highlighting issues faced by residents of PoJK. The abduction appears to be a targeted act to suppress student activism and political engagement in the region. The incident has sparked widespread outrage among local students and civil society groups, who have called for justice and accountability. 'On one hand, armed extremist groups roam freely, and on the other, peaceful student leaders are abducted and tortured. This hypocrisy must end,' said Khan. He urged the people of PoJK to rise above fear and question the actions of local authorities and their handlers. UKPNP has called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident and demanded that those responsible be held to account. (ANI)
