With most of the terror funding routes of Pakistan getting virtually choked following the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) arresting some separatist leaders and their aides for interrogation in the case, Pakistan is now trying to create unrest in the Kashmir valley by joining the separatists in raising the issue of Article 35A.

The Kashmir centric parties, including the ruling PDP, National Conference and also the Congress, CPI-M and the separatists have already been trying to create fear among the common Kashmiris on the alleged attempts of the Centre to scrap the Article 35A of the Constitution that provides powers to the state legislature to define the permanent residents of J-K.

In an apparent support to the Kashmir centric parties and separatists on the issue, Pakistan has interfered in the internal affairs of India by raising the issue of Article 35A and accusing India of “trying to alter the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan’s foreign office Spokesperson Nafees Zakria on Thursday accused India of trying to alter the demography of Jammu and Kashmir by “diluting” the Article 35A.

The “puppet” prime minister of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK), Raja Mohammad Farooq Haider, also last week accused India of “conspiring” to change the demography by settling non-state subjects in J&K.

While making such allegations, the POK prime minister, who was parroting his bosses in Islamabad, has tried to mislead the people and did not utter a single word about Pakistan having already allowed China to change the demography of the POK by allowing it to build the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that cuts through the entire length and breadth of the Occupied Kashmir. Haider has been facing violent protests in POK for remaining a mute spectator to the onslaught of Chinese army personnel who were forcibly occupying the agriculture lands of residents of POK for the CPEC.

Such protests were recently witnessed in Muzaffrabad, capital town of the POK, and also in Gilgit, Baltistan and other areas of POK where the highway is being constructed.

Not only the Kashmir centric parties but a senior BJP leader and former union minister, Yashwant Sinha, knowing well that the Supreme Court was currently hearing a petition on scrapping the Article 35A and the centre has no role to interfere in the matter, on Friday targeted the centre by asking it to clear its stand on the issue. Sinha is camping in Srinagar with his team to meet the separatists and a cross section of political leadership for peace talks.

Separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was after about two months yesterday allowed to address the gathering in the Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid during Friday prayers, warned that Kashmir will not accept any tinkering with the Article 35A. He also targeted the NIA for raiding the premises of separatist leaders and arresting them in the terror funding case.