There is an old and wise Urdu saying that a single dirty fish can pollute the entire pond. The truth of this proverb has once again been laid bare in the verdant hills and valleys of Azad Kashmir, where generations of peace-loving people have lived in harmony, sharing one another’s joys and sorrows like members of a single family. Their pond was clean, tranquil, and prosperous. Yet, as has happened so many times before, an external hand has sought to muddy these sacred waters by introducing elements of discord and division from outside.

In recent weeks, the serene landscape of Azad Kashmir has been disturbed by calculated unrest. Protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee have erupted across several areas, including Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad, and Poonch. What began as agitation over local issues such as reserved legislative seats for refugees, rising prices, and governance concerns has turned tense, resulting in tragic clashes, loss of precious lives, injuries, shutter-down strikes, and disruption of normal life. This is precisely the kind of chaos that Pakistan’s adversaries relish and actively seek to exploit.

India, our eternal enemy, has once more shown its true cowardly face. Unable to confront Pakistan honourably on the battlefield, it has resorted to its familiar tactics of a long-standing proxy war. Through infiltration of agents, funding of disruptive elements, dissemination of false propaganda, and clever exploitation of local grievances via social media and covert networks, India plants “dirty fish” –........

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