PoK protests due to looting of resources by others, says MEA

New Delhi, May 17

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the ongoing violent protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK) were the result of policies that had deprived the people of the region of their resources.

“Resources are being looted and people are being deprived of their own resources. Such policies exploit people and deny the local people rights over their own resources and the benefits thereof,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a media briefing on Friday when asked about the protests.

He also reiterated that the UTs of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir were and will always remain integral parts of India. Protests and violence over high electricity and wheat prices have rocked PoK for some days, leading to the deaths of three civilians and one policeman. The protesters agreed to call off the protests on Tuesday after the Pakistan government accepted their demands and announced a relief package, reported Pakistani media.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a Pakistani rupee 23,000 crore subsidy package to lower the prices of electricity and wheat. “The government accepted all the demands of the protesters yesterday,” said a statement from the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been leading the protests for the last eight months.

On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said PoK “was, is and will always be a part of India”.