Amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the attack in Jammu-Kashmir’s Pahalgam, the prime minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, told the local media on Friday about the instructions issued to stock food supplies for two months in 13 constituencies along the Line of Control (LoC). The regional government has also created an emergency fund of one billion rupees ($3.5 million) to ensure the supply of “food, medicines and all other basic necessities” to the 13 constituencies, he said, as quoted by news agency AFP.
The news agency quoting Anwar has also reported that the government and privately owned machinery were also being deployed to maintain roads in the areas along the LoC. According to AFP, dozens of protesters rallied under the banner of a Kashmiri political coalition, chanting “Death to India” and calling for “Jihad” in Muzaffarabad.
Speaking to news agency AFP, one of the organisers called the protest a show of solidarity with the Pakistan military.
“If there is any misadventure (by India), we are ready to respond firmly,” he added.
The news agency AFP has also reported that fearing escalation, the authorities in Pakistani Kashmir shut more than 1,000 religious schools for 10 days on Thursday.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the military “complete operational freedom” to respond to the attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists.
On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that terrorists should not think they have won the war.
“Terrorists should not think they have won the war. This fight is not over yet. Chun chun ke badla lenge (we will take revenge on all terrorists),” Shah said at an event in Delhi.
He further added that the Narendra Modi-led NDA government is resolved to uproot terrorism from the country and emphasised that it will be accomplished.
(With inputs from AFP.)
