KARACHI:
Recently, Ziauddin University organised a webinar on the struggle of the people of IIOJK for self-determination. One of the honourable attendees, Muzdalfah Ahmed, was a Kashmiri Youth Activist and a Former Minister of the UK Youth Parliament. She rightly pointed out that whenever there has been a violation of fundamental rights around the world, young Muslims always come together to raise their voices. This is because we, as a united Muslim community, can empathise with and feel the suffering of our brothers and sisters fighting for their basic rights.
Unfortunately, the Kashmir issue has been marked by tragedy after tragedy. First, the valley was under the colonial and oppressive regime of Britishers, and now the citizens face the wrath of the draconian laws forcefully imposed by the Indian army. The UN Security Council has only given two options to the people for the resolution of the dispute — either to join Pakistan or to become a part of India. In this regard, the concept of self-determination is a modern solution. It is divided into two aspects. The first is internal self-determination; that the people of Kashmir are entitled to decide how they govern themselves and take control of the present and future, with utmost autonomy. External self-determination is the second aspect, which provides territorial integrity of the state against oppressive regimes. It cannot be denied that other parties have vested interests in India’s narrative against Kashmir internationally. However, brutality and murder should not be on anyone’s agenda.
Almost 2 million people outside of Kashmir have been given Kashmiri domicile certificates by the Indian government. This influx of outsiders in Kashmir is a continuing process due to which the people of Kashmir are losing their identity and majority. It is high time for our government to devise a strategy whereby they can help the oppressed people of IIOJK raise their voice at international forums. For this, Pakistan needs to stand firm with our Kashmiri brothers and young people need to step up and speak.
Maheen Ghous
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2021.
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