Muzaffarabad (AJK): Azad Kashmir government Home Ministry spokesperson has strongly condemned the Indian media’s attempt to malign Pakistan and Azad Kashmir by giving a common color to the unpleasant incident at KFC Mirpur.
The spokesperson said that the Indian media had a habit of making a mountain out of a molehill. It is the result of a misunderstanding. The franchise provided jobs to 100 plus locals who paid a significant amount of tax to the local tax authorities and its overall supply chains were also local. Some miscreants disturbed the whole affair and misinterpreted it and the crowd went out of control, he added.
The spokesperson made it clear that: “It has nothing to do with religious or any other kind of extremism. A state that has a long history of non-violence, tolerance, and co-existence is the beauty of a state that society displays all the time. Indian media’s ignorance of the issue, its abuse, and exaggeration. The franchise owner condemned this negative attitude of the biased Indian media”.
Referring to the KFC owner’s claim in the matter, the spokesperson said that according to the owner, the attackers attacked the food chain due to a long-standing dispute that caused a loss of crores of rupees.
He said that after registering the FIR raid, it was initiated to nab the accused involved in this incident.
Terming Azad Kashmir as the most peaceful region, the spokesman further said that the liberated territory offers a favorable and business-friendly environment for investors.
He said that along with KFC, several international chain stores/branches are operating and successfully doing business in the region.
“These international trade outlets contribute significantly to the local economy of the region,” he said, adding that the law and order situation in Azad Kashmir is also ideal for foreign investment.
India, he said, could not divert the world’s attention from the worsening human rights situation in occupied Kashmir simply by giving a communal color to an incident that he said was purely personal.
The spokesperson made it clear that stern action will be taken against all those involved in this incident.
“No entity, whoever it may be, will be allowed to take the law into their hands, disrupt peace and order, or damage private property,” he said.
The spokesman said 54 suspects were named in the incident, while 250 people were suspected.
“60 people have been arrested based on videos, CCTV footage, and testimonies and the investigation process is going fast,” he elaborated.
