BJP

New Delhi: Contenting that the situation in the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was the 'worst', BJP on Tuesday called on the separatist leaders to 'rethink their' demand for independence. "The situation in PoK is the worst and the J&K leaders who demand for independence should understand that the freedom of speech and value for human rights which they enjoy are not even mentioned there," party spokesperson Ravi Shanker Prasad told reporters in Capital.

The people of the valley should not give heed to the call of the separatists and they should understand the situation in PoK where the condition is pitiable with no respect for human life, he added. "This is not BJP's own assessment. This is as per the report of European Parliament," he said referring to a report of the committee on foreign affairs of European Parliament submitted in April last year by a member, Baroness Nicholson.

The report further said that the condition of the Indian Muslims who migrated to Pakistan in the Kashmir region is miserable and are faced with a tough living, he said. "Further, there is nothing like that of Article 370 in Pakistan occupied region of Kashmir and the government there is engaged in changing the demography of the region by settling people from other areas," he claimed. (PTI)