PoK Unrest: Kashmiri Journalist-Poet Ahmad Farhad Reported Missing In Pakistan; Abduction By Security Forces Suspected

PoK Unrest: Amid the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), a well-known journalist and poet hailing from the region has been reported missing in Pakistan. It is alleged that Kashmiri journalist Ahmad Farhad, who hails from the Bagh area of PoK, was abducted by security forces from his residence in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. Farhad became notable for his reportage on the widespread protests against the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistani government which have rocked PoK in recent days.

At a recent protest rally in Islamabad, Farhad's wife urged Kashniris and the Joint Awami Action Committee to raise their voices for his immediate release. "Violent protests were happening in PoJK, and Ahmed Farhad reported on the incident. He was very vocal about the situation in PoJK. I urge all Kashmiris and the Joint Awami Action Committee to raise their voices for his immediate release," she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Ahmad Farhad Abduction: UKPNP Expresses Concern

The United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) also expressed concern over the alleged abduction of Ahmed Farhad Shah and issued an urgent appeal for his release. Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, the chairman of the UKPNP, and other senior leaders of the party said in a statement, "The abduction and enforced disappearance of Ahmed Farhad Shah is a deplorable attempt to silence the voice of oppressed Kashmiris. Ahmed Farhad has been an advocate against enforced disappearances, yet today he has been forcibly disappeared."

Ahmad Farhad Abduction: 'Efforts Underway To Muzzle Dissent'

Farhad's disappearance is believed to have further heightened tensions in PoK, a region destablised by political instability and human rights abuses. According to PoK-focused rights activist Amjad Ayub Mirza, internet services remain suspended in PoK's Muzaffarabad. There have also been reports of numerous individuals being apprehended under charges of inciting unrest, damaging public property, and participating in riots.

Mirza further claimed that the Pakistan-appointed administration of PoK formulating a comprehensive strategy to crackdown on those believed to have orchestrated the ongoing anti-Islamabad protests. The movement was ignited by grievances over taxes imposed on electricity bills and reductions in subsidies, prompting widespread dissent among the local population.

(With inputs from ANI)