Amjad Ayub Mirza strongly condemns call for Jihad by Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq
The recent call for jihad by Chaudhary Anwar ul Haq, the prime minister of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), at the commemoration of the so-called Right to Self-Determination Day on January 5 has been sharply denounced by human rights activist Amjad Ayub Mirza.
The Prime Minister spoke to the gathering during the event, which was organized by several extreme organizations, and pledged the backing of his administration for the resurgence of jihadi culture in the area.
Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq enthusiastically endorsed the shouts of “al-jihad, al-jihad” that were yelled by the attendees of the public assembly. Political leaders and activists are worried about this divisive position’s possible destabilizing repercussions on the area.
Mirza denounced the Prime Minister’s actions as a self-serving political move meant to win back support. He said that Prime Minister Haq’s government has become more unpopular since the Joint Awami Action Committee started the civil rights struggle. Mirza said that Haq is now attempting to mobilize right-wing jihadi groups, which he called a risky and hazardous approach.
Mirza cautioned that such discourse would jeopardize PoJK’s continuing political fight for social justice. He emphasized that demands for violent jihad might undermine the peaceful efforts of the people in the area, who have been battling for their civil rights for years.
Mirza expressed even more alarm, speculating that the ISI, Pakistan’s espionage organization, may be planning a fresh proxy conflict in the area. He clarified, however, that the people of PoJK would not back this “dangerous adventurism,” emphasizing that the region’s political conflict should continue to be centered on democracy, justice, and peace rather than bloodshed.
Human rights organizations are alarmed by this trend and are calling for more international attention to the growing role of extremist forces in PoJK politics.