Members of different political and social organizations, under the banner of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Forum, held a rally on Sunday, 8th May 2022 in Jammu to pay homage and floral tributes to martyrs of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) since independence.
People from all walks, including PoJK refugees, participated in the rally. This event was named the Punyabhoomi Smaran Sabha. This event was organized at the Padma Sachdev Government Post Graduate College for Women located in Gandhi Nagar in Jammu on 8th May 2022 at 10:30 AM.
In their brochure, the organizers have said, “On August 15, 1947, India was liberated after the constant struggle, sacrifices and efforts of many great men and heroes, but then, Pakistan invaded on October 22, 1947, and killed thousands of people in Jammu and Kashmir, thousands had to leave their native land and suffer. In 1965 and 1971, many were displaced even from the Chhamb region. Let us participate in the meeting organized to pay homage to those who sacrificed during that time and to remember the holy land of our forefathers.”
Informing more about the Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the exodus from there, the brochure further added, “After independence in 1947, Pakistan invaded Jammu and Kashmir on October 22 with the intention of occupying it. In this attack, thousands of square kilometers of territory of Jammu and Kashmir was occupied by Pakistan. This includes areas of Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli, Bagh Puldari, Sadnoti, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit, Baltistan, and Poonch. This land of our ancestors is called Pak-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and the displaced people who hail from there are called the refugees of the POJK.”
It further said, “Thousands of the POJK refugees were forced to wander from pillar to post outside the state of Jammu and Kashmir due to the planned policy of the then government of Jammu and Kashmir. Unfortunately, they were deprived of various rights by the State Governments for seven decades. The present Government is trying to give powers to all these displaced people.”
Talking about the people who were displaced from Chhamb, the organizers said, “The society is currently living in different places after migrating from the border area of Jammu and Kashmir. Forced to migrate during the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, they are now known as the Chhamb migrants. Under the weak policies of the then governments and under the Shimla Agreement, the ‘Chhamb migrants’ could never return to their villages and were forced to live in different areas of the state.”
Mentioning the atrocities on the native Hindus and Sikhs of the POJK region, the organizers said, “During that time, thousands of Hindus and Sikhs were brutally murdered and their families burnt alive in their homes. Thousands of mothers and sisters were raped and insulted. Thousands of Hindu and Sikh families had to flee their native lands and property due to this genocide. During this exodus, members of many families separated from their loved ones and they have not been traced to date.”
In this rally, former MLC Ramesh Arora said, “So many brave sons of this soil were martyred in 1947, when there was an attack in the POJK area on 22nd October 1947. Now China has also occupied the parts of POJK along with Pakistan. China’s interference is increasing day by day. Recently, a suicide bomber blew himself up and killed some Chinese citizens in Pakistan. The Pakistani Army is being very harsh on the Baloch rebels. Our point is that people from POJK have said from time to time that they want to be with India.”
He further said, “Our resolution of 1994 is very clear. It says that the only dispute between India and Pakistan is that we want to take back the POJK illegally occupied by Pakistan. The maximum number of refugees from the POJK have settled in Jammu only. So today we have organized a rally to pay homage to all the martyrs of the 1947-1948 war. Thousands of people were martyred at that time. We hereby resolve to walk on the path shown by the 1994 resolution and I am sure that the times will change and the POJK will be a part of India soon.”
Suneet Raina, corporator of ward number 9 of Jammu, said, “I think this is the first incident when the people who migrated from the POJK in 1947, 1965, and 1971 are gathering at a place and their pain and sorrow are being addressed for the first time. Their voices are being listened to for the first time in history. This message should go to the country as well as to the world so that the demand of the people of the POJK to be with India is heard by everyone out there. I am sure it will be fulfilled soon.”
In this program, various banners and posters were exhibited on the premises to make people aware of the brave soldiers and officers of the Indian Army who were martyred in the war of 1947-1948 to save the lives of their countrymen hailing from POJK.
The posters and banners also told the stories of various places in Pak-Occupied Kashmir and significant people who resisted the attack of 1947.