Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, (Azadi Times): A wave of social media uproar has recently gripped Azad Kashmir following reports of certain areas within the region being reclassified under different Pakistani districts, including Banks and several private companies allegedly designating Bagh, Azad Kashmir as Abbottabad, KPK, and Dadyal Azad Kashmir as Jhelum, Punjab.
An image showing a checkbook and an envelope with Kashmir’s lions symbolizing their inclusion as part of Pakistan.
This development has sparked intense anger among the local population of Azad Kashmir. On this issue, the President of the National Union of Journalists Azad Kashmir, Muhammad Zeeshan Mushtaq, and the Chairman of the Central Committee for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir expressed grave concerns. They highlighted the emerging reports suggesting that Azad Kashmir is being incorporated into Pakistan, which has incited a significant outcry.
It is disconcerting to note that these reports, circulating widely on social media, insinuate a deliberate effort to alter Azad Kashmir’s status within Pakistan. Particularly alarming are the claims regarding UBL and MCB bank branches in Azad Kashmir, with certain regions purportedly being shifted to various districts across Pakistan.
However, as of now, there has been no official response or statement from any bank or relevant authority regarding these allegations, causing further anxiety among the population.
If these allegations are substantiated, it could lead to widespread protests and even calls for a boycott of banks found to be complicit in the scheme to alter the status of the region within Pakistan. The people of Azad Kashmir are determined not to allow any attempts to change their legal status.
The controversy highlights the sensitivity of the matter, with deep concerns among the local population that any manipulation of their status within Pakistan will not be tolerated or accepted. The situation continues to evolve as citizens anxiously await official clarifications and responses from relevant authorities.