Arif Aajakia

Arif Aajakia is a Pakistani-French human rights activist and a YouTuber.[1] He is in exile from Pakistan due to his alleged human rights work in Pakistan administered Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.[2] Based in London, he is a critic of the alleged human rights violations conducted by the Pakistan Army.[3][1][4]

Arif Aajakia
Aajakia in 2020
Born
Mohammed Arif Aajakia

(1964-05-21) 21 May 1964
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Citizenship
  • French
  • Pakistani
Occupationhuman rights activist
YouTuber
Spouse(s)Sabeen Arif

Personal life

Aajakia was born on 21 May 1964 in Karachi.[5] He is Muhajir[6] and lived in Karachi until 1984. After 1990, Aajakia spent time in France and Belgium.[7]

In the 1990s, Aajakia worked for the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation.[8]

Aajakia is married to Sabeen Arif and lives in London.[9]

Political career and views

Aajakia was a politician in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan party.[1] He left for Europe due to fears for his safety.[1][7]

Aajakia is strongly critical of the Pakistan Army and Pakistan's legal framework. He repeatedly claims that the Pakistani army and Pakistan-based terrorist organisations are waging a proxy war against Afghanistan and India.[1][10] In 2019, on the 11th anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Aajakia joined other human rights activists in Geneva, Switzerland, calling for an embargo of Pakistan and for Pakistan Army generals to be convicted for their alleged war crimes before the International Court of Justice.[1]

In December 2019, Aajakia praised Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the passge of the Citizenship Amendment Act.[11] At a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in London in July 2020, Aajakia sang "Vande Mataram" for the first time, joining Indian activists calling for a boycott of China due to their expansionist policies.[12][9]

YouTube channel

Aajakia started a YouTube channel in 2014 where he addresses current affairs and geopolitical issues in south Asia. He condemns alleged human rights violations by the Pakistani Army. He criticises fundamentalists and talk about history, mostly of Indian subcontinent.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Pakistan uses terrorism as a 'weapon and blackmailing tool': Activists on 26/11 anniversary". ANI. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. "चंद्रयान-2 की तारीफ कर पाकिस्तान सरकार पर भड़के PoK के मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्ता, कहा- आप लोगों को बेवकूफ बना रहे हैं". NDTVIndia. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  3. "'You have made a joke of Pakistan': PoK human rights activist slams Imran's ministers for anti-India rant". Times Now. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. Mishra, Bisheshwar. "Pak madrassas groom terrorists". The Times of India. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. @arifaajakia (20 May 2020). "Yes 21 May 1964" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. "Mohajir leader Arif Aajakia slams Pakistan Army". Business Standard. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  7. @arifaajakia (29 August 2019). "I was deputy mayor of Jamshed Town, Karachi, the most populous town of Pakistan at that time (1.17 mil), from 2005-2006 & then became mayor of Jamshed Town 2006-2007" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. "Country Delegations, Non-Governmental Organizations Allege Human Rights Violations Throughout World, at Human Rights Commission Debate". United Nations. 18 April 1996.
  9. Tandon, Loveena (13 July 2020). "London: Indian diaspora's call to boycott China joined by Iranians, Pakistanis". India Today.
  10. Ali, Amin (24 January 2020). "Pakistan is a stratocracy … Everyone knows it's openly involved in terrorist activities in India and Afghanistan". The Times of India. Everyone knows that Khan was brought in by Pakistan army by rigging the elections. All other political opponents were not allowed to run their elections campaign. Many were disqualified through their kangaroo courts.
  11. "CAB: While many in India oppose, Pakistan-based human rights activist Arif Aajakia praises it". MyNation. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  12. Sharma, Ateet (13 July 2020). "Pakistanis sing 'Vande Mataram' alongside Indians in London protest against China". Daijiworld.
  13. Aajakia, Arif (6 June 2020). "Arif aajakia official YouTube channel". www.youtube.com.


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