JK News Today Commentary
The news is , Pakistan is observing tomorrow – August 5 as “ Youm-i-Istehsal ( Exploitation Day) “ to mark the fifth anniversary of removal of Article 370 and to show solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This decision has been taken by the federal government of Pakistan , prompting the people to ask, look who’s talking .
Pakistan’s angst over the removal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 is understandable because in these five years since August 5, 2019 when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was scrapped to fully integrate the state into the Indian Union – all the barriers were demolished. The whole of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which are now two union territories , have completely merged with the Indian Union.
Pakistan is obviously not happy with these constitutional changes in the Indian Constitution – first its narrative of “ Kashmir as a disputed territory “ was lost because the August 5 , 2019 decision threw out Kashmir from the solution-seeking process , and at the same time told the world that J&K is as much Indian territory as any other state or territory in the country . Second , it is enraged because the development that took place in Jammu and Kashmir since the revocation of Article 370 has obliterated all its propaganda . It has lost all the ground in Kashmir as the people have started realizing that their fate and future is linked to India alone , Pakistan is an outsider for all practical purposes.
Kashmiris have started holding Pakistan responsible for all the mayhem that their land and generations suffered due to Pakistan-exported terrorism
This is happening on this side of the Line of Control where Kashmir has become stable and vibrant , development funds are flowing in plenty and after decades the Valley has seen an unprecedented surge in the arrival of tourists . The tourist footfall in Kashmir has broken one record after another as more than 20 million or two crore tourists have visited Kashmir in the last couple of years. These numbers travelled beyond the imagination of the people . It enriched their economy and did an image makeover . In the words of Union Home Minister Amit Shah , Kashmir has been transformed from a “ terror hot spot” to “tourism hot spot.” . This journey for Kashmir delivered to the Valley and its millions of people a peace dividend and a fresh hope for future that is stable and promising . Today Kashmir is progressive and promising
On Saturday, Pakistan Government after a meeting chaired by its Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided that a “ joint event of Pakistani and Kashmiri ( read Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir ) leadership has been approved for the day , with PM Shehbaz expected to visit Muzaffarabad ( capital of PoJK) on August 5 to show solidarity with Kashmiris”, a post from PTV news said on X platform.
The post also said that Shehbaz Sharif will “ give an important policy statement.”
The history of observance of “ Youm-i- Istehsal dates to 2020 , a year after the Article 370 was abrogated.
Pakistan is committing a joke with itself . At a time when Pakistan is virtually depending on the international funding to survive and its economy is in severe decline with experts predicting its collapse as public mutiny is sweeping across this nation . The Jamat-islami has descended on Pakistani capital Islamabad and Balochistan activists sitting on a sit-in for days together , Pakistan seeking to show solidarity with the Kashmiris can nothing but be a joke .
The people in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir have not forgotten the brutalities and atrocities let loose by Pakistani army and Frontier Corps on them when they agitated for basic necessities like flour to eat and survive . They were hit by bullets . The whole of POJK that Pakistan calls as “ Azad Kashmir” had risen in revolt and called for freedom from Pakistan. How can such a political and military establishment seek to speak for the people of Jammu and Kashmir who have said goodbye to violence and demonstrated their love for India , the country of their future.
