New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) The biggest concern for Pakistan amid the ongoing protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is the growing possibility of the unrest drawing international attention.
According to an official, Pakistan has reached out to its network of pressure groups overseas in an effort to prevent the issue from gaining international prominence. The official said these are the same groups that Pakistan has long invested in to amplify the Kashmir issue and portray India in a negative light on global platforms.
“The same people are now being told to cover up the atrocities that are taking place in PoK,” the official added.
The protests in PoK have continued for nearly two months with no signs of easing. Demonstrators have been urging the international community to speak out against the alleged atrocities committed by Pakistan’s security forces.
Around 40 persons have been killed since the protests began, and an unknown number of forced disappearances have taken place.
The actual number of forced disappearances and killings may be much more than the numbers that are coming out of PoK now. There is a strict ban on mobile communication and internet use.
“The Pakistani establishment does not even want its own people to know the extent of the atrocities committed by its security forces,” the official said.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that in recent months, Pakistan has been investing heavily in persons abroad to tilt the narrative in its favour. These investments have been made for multiple reasons.
According to the official, building an anti-India narrative abroad, particularly on the Kashmir issue, remains a key priority for Pakistan. The effort also includes projecting a favourable image of Pakistan among lawmakers in foreign countries, with the belief that it could help secure much-needed international funding. The official further alleged that individuals deployed for these campaigns are also tasked with deflecting attention from the activities of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
The official said that there have been a lot of talks that are taking place between top-ranking Pakistani officials and members of these groups. The direction is to cover up not just the incidents but the events taking place in PoK as well.
The officials said that Pakistan is also keen to keep international attention away from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the two regions that have witnessed prolonged unrest for a long time.
An official further said Pakistan is also under considerable pressure from China, which has made substantial investments in the country. Chinese-built infrastructure in Balochistan has been among the hardest hit by attacks in recent years. According to the official, greater international attention on these incidents could further damage Pakistan’s image.
“If Pakistan is increasingly seen as incapable of safeguarding foreign investments, it would be a significant setback for Islamabad,” the official said.
Pakistan recently shifted its foreign policy, which was previously carried out through embassies and diplomats. Today it relies more on businessmen, lobbyists, personal networks, and political intermediaries. These are the same lot that form the pressure groups and are paid a huge amount of money to spin the narrative in favour of Pakistan.
While the strategy initially appeared to be working in Pakistan’s favour, the continuing unrest in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and, more significantly, PoK has put Islamabad on the defensive. An official said Pakistan now needs these overseas pressure groups more than ever to manage the international narrative.
The unrest in PoK may not yet have attracted significant international attention, but officials believe it is only a matter of time before it does. With protesters showing no signs of backing down and the Pakistani establishment unwilling to concede, the situation could lead to further excesses against the people of the region. An official said Islamabad is mounting intense pressure on its overseas pressure groups to ensure that these developments do not become a major issue on the international stage.
–IANS
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