UKPNP rejects Amendment 15 determining PoK's constitutional status

MUZAFFARABAD: As Pakistan seeks to change the constitutional status of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) rejects the same saying that instead of fighting for the interests of the ruling elite in the guise of identity and chauvinism, the real salvation of the oppressed people in the region lies in the establishment of a society free of exploitation. The constitutional status of the region is intended to be fixed once again. Despite several changes, the constitutional status of the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and the distribution of powers between the local government could not be satisfied with the different governments and the state of Pakistan.

Thus, the 15th Amendment is now being prepared, which will be the 24th attempt to determine the constitutional status of the region, in the last 75 years. A letter by a high-level committee headed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan stated that through this amendment, the ongoing functions of the PoK government are to be aligned with the provincial governments of Pakistan. This means that PoK will be treated as federating units (ie other units of the Federation).

The federal government's letter expresses that the constitutional status of the region PoK is being prepared like other provinces of Pakistan. According to the draft, it is proposed to include the Foreign Minister, the Home Minister and the Finance Minister in the formation of the region's Council. Thus, the political leadership fears that the powers of the local government will be approved and given powers to the Council, and the emergency powers will be replaced by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, amending the constitution of Pakistan and changing the legal and political status of the region would run as provincial structure.

The state of Pakistan had killed the people of the region under the authority of the government. Even then, the ruling elite did not feel comfortable handing over all the powers of the government of Pakistan, ignoring the sacrifices of the people of the PoK region, keeping the local population in the darkness, UKPNP said in its press release. This dream of choosing a democratic, constitution-making and representative government from public opinion, including restoration of state administration, has not yet reached its end.

In 1950, a movement against the government of Pakistan was launched on the demand of the government through adult franchise , on which the military operation was launched against local uprising . The demand was acknowledged due to public resistance but could not be implemented again. In 1956, there was a revolt again, which was again thwarted by the Punjab Constabulary and the regular army of pakistan. The reconciliatory role of the collaborators allowed these sacrifices to go to vain and the government of Pakistan retained the authority to nominate local rulers.

The people of this region have made an unprecedented history of sacrifices every time for decades to achieve political, economic, and constitutional rights, but the ruling elite has always used these sacrifices to achieve their personal interests. Public aspirations have always been dealt with force and treacherous policies. That is why people in this region are suffering from poverty, insolvency, and employment. Political, economic, democratic, and constitutional rights are not yet guaranteed in the region.

At present, public sentiment against identity and to change the status is being used by the ruling elite to create a limited scope for the revival of democratic rights. In order to advance this struggle, the first step will be to build all the powers of governance and constitution, as well as the demand for financial powers and the struggle to end military occupation. All resources, including all power generation projects, have to be taken into national control and go ahead under the program of democratic control of the public, the press release added.

Historically, it has been shown that the collaborators can build the slogans of the working class for their ulterior motives. In this scenario, the people of PoK must remain United and steadfast to resist against proposed constitutional amendments, it added.