Pakistan is getting a taste of its own medicine with the breakaway Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) led by Amanullah Khan launching a ‘Quit Kashmir’ movement, similar to that of the hardline Hurriyat Conference in Kashmir, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

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The aim is “reunification and complete independence” of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) divided by the line of control (LoC).The decision was taken at a meeting of the JKLF central committee in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on September 30. The meeting held under the leadership of chairman Sardar Saghir Ahmad Khan resolved to expand the ‘Quit Kashmir’ movement to PoK and northern areas, including Gilgit and Baltistan.

A similar movement was launched by the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Kashmir in June. The movement has so far claimed 109 lives in the Valley, mostly in firing by security forces and police.

“To mobilise popular support for a concerted movement, JKLF has decided to hold a series of demonstrations in parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from September 30.

Sit-ins will be held from October 22 to 27 at various places close to the ceasefire line [LoC],” Toqeer Geelani, publicity chief of JKLF, said.

Elaborating, he said, JKLF will hold a series of public meetings from October 1 to 20 at all district headquarters, colleges and university campuses in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan to consolidate the otherwise suppressed national aspiration for reunification and independence of the state of J&K.

“JKLF will hold a national integration restoration week from October 21 protesting foreign occupation of J&K. On October 22, 1947, tribals supported by Pakistani forces entered J&K to plunder and on October 27, 1947, Indian forces arrived in Srinagar. As a result, the state was divided between India and Pakistan,” Geelani said.

The breakaway faction claims to be the real JKLF having presence in both parts of Kashmir. Amanullah Khan was chairman of united JKLF when militancy started in Kashmir in 1989, but later spilt with Yasin Malik.

Pakistan resident Khan’s daughter Asma is married to People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone.