Longstanding dispute: Indian oppression won’t quell cries for freedom

AJK assembly speaker criticises international community for silence over Indian aggression

ISLAMABAD: Kashmiris would not accept any option other than freedom from Indian subjugation while the international human rights organisations’  silence on the atrocities in the disputed Himalayan territory was tantamount to criminal negligence.

This was stated by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir on Friday while speaking to APP.

“India should realise that despite its suppressive and oppressive tactics to quell the ongoing indigenous freedom movement of Kashmiris, it would not succeed in its objective,” he said.

He added that the silence of international human rights organisations and the United Nations on the atrocities perpetrated by Indian forces against innocent people in occupied Kashmir was a criminal negligence.

Qadir called upon new UN Secretary General Antinio Guterres and his administration to play their role for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir issue in accordance with the world body's resolutions.

Remarking at the attitude of the UN towards the unabated violence in Indian Occupied Kashmir, Qadir regretted that the international community had adopted a discriminatory attitude towards the issue.

“The United Nations and Western states helped the people of East Timor to attain freedom while they are keeping mum on Kashmir despite many resolutions passed by the UN Security Council, which showed their double standards,” he added.

“The Kashmiris were sacrificing their lives in their struggle for attaining their right to self-determination and it would not be possible for India to keep them subjugated,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2017.