A year of repression

Letter August 06, 2020
Situation in IIOJ&K remains a powder keg of anger and repression ravaged by curfew

One year after the revocation of articles 370 and 35 A of the Indian constitution, the situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains a powder keg of anger and repression ravaged by curfew, including absolute shutdown of internet facilities to suffocate the citizens under unrivalled military existence. Hindutva ideologues claim that the annexation of Kashmir would bring prosperity and peace for the people of the region in order to make people believe in a different reality.

The population remains defiant, thousands of Kashmiris have been imprisoned, tortured and made to disappear. The BJP’s aim to dilute the Kashmiri Muslim population is being carried out aggressively by promoting the migration of Hindus to the occupied region through several incentives. There’s hardly any doubt that Modi’s objective in revoking Kashmir’s special status as a semi-autonomous region under article 370 was to bring about a demographic change and suppress the Muslim population. A large number of Kashmiri leaders including the pro-Indian ones remain incarcerated, freedom of movement curtailed and independent media restricted, while draconian proceedings like a communication blackout are used to clamp down on the ongoing resistance. The heart-wrenching incident of a toddler sitting on the dead body of his grandfather who was slain by Indian soldiers is only one of the many illustrations of human rights violation being perpetrated by the Indian occupation force.

It is therefore important that Pakistan undertake every effort achievable to highlight the situation and mount pressure on India to reverse its decision. India must not be allowed to get away with this perversion.

Syeda Ruqiya Fatima

Karachi

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2020.

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