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PoK Shias resent Pak militants

The increasing presence of Pakistani Islamic militants in the northern areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has heightened resentment among the local Shia population.

Ever since the influx of these militant groups (mostly Sunnis) from Punjab and the North West Frontier Province began into the northern areas in 1988, under the active encouragement of late Pakistani president General Zia-ul Haq, the area has been in the grip of bitter sectarian conflicts. He had used the presence of these militants to countervail the Shia majority which had been asking for basic human rights.

The arrival of the Lashkar-i-Toiba and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen in Skardu late last year for the Kargil invasion has invited the ire of the local population. They allege that the presence of these groups has created a law and order problem in the northern areas of Skardu, which the Pakistani army had used as a base for launching an invasion in Kargil.

At a huge gathering at a local mosque recently, some members of the Northern Areas Council angrily demanded the eviction of all Islamic militants from their region.

The continuing influx of the militants since 1988 has affected the demographic profile of the northern areas.

UNI

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