The Hindu : 'PoK leadership looting money'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2002

International

International

'PoK leadership looting money'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD AUG. 12. The British parliamentarian of Pakistan origin, Nazir Ahmed, has alleged that the leadership of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was `looting money' in the name of a freedom movement in Kashmir.

In an interview to a Pakistani news agency, NNI, Mr. Nazir Ahmed, said that though (PoK) was the base camp of the `on-going freedom movement' in Kashmir, the PoK leadership had done nothing for the cause.

``It (PoK leadership) was engaged in looting money under the cover of the Kashmir Liberation Cell.'' PoK politicians, he alleged, had not even spared the `zakat fund' collected for the welfare of the Kashmiri refugees and used it to sustain their `lavish lifestyle.'

He said that after the September 11 attacks on the United States the Kashmir struggle faced a `U-turn'. The U.S.-led war on terrorism in Afghanistan had encouraged India to believe that any country could take action against another without the sanction of the United Nations. He accused the Indian Government of portraying the Kashmir `freedom movement as terrorist campaign' and highlighting the issue of infiltration of mujahideen (holy warriors) into Kashmir at international forums to get Pakistan declared a terrorist State. It was also planning to target PoK and this was the objective behind deployment of forces on the borders. However, the MP said India was compelled to `refrain from war' due to pressure from the world community.

He also condemned what he termed as `massive human rights violations' in Kashmir and called upon the world community to take notice of the `atrocities of the Indian security forces against innocent Kashmir people'.

He alleged that the Indian secret agency, RAW, was involved in recent terrorist activities in Pakistan and at the behest of the Deputy Prime Minister, L. K. Advani. He urged the Indian Government to allow access to the International Court of Justice, the United Nations and world human rights organisations in Kashmir to probe the incidents of terrorism.

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'PoK leadership looting money'