Civil, military leaders slam India’s indiscriminate brutality; protests held across AJK
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership strongly denounced the “brutal and indiscriminate” use of force by the Indian occupation forces in Kashmir, urging the UN to dispatch a fact-finding mission to the disputed region, and protest rallies were taken out across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to condemn the killing of youths by India.
Four civilians, 13 freedom fighters, and Three soldiers and died in a series of clashes south of the main city of Srinagar, in the single worst day of violence in IOK since 2016.
Thousands took to the streets over the weekend in support of the freedom fighters who have been battling for a merger with Pakistan.
Police opened fire with live rounds and pellet guns on mourners attending the funerals of slain freedom fighters and on crowds who threw stones and chanted slogans against Indian rule.
Doctors said Monday the extent of pellet gun injuries was the worst they had seen since hundreds were wounded in unrest that followed the shooting death of charismatic freedom fighter Burhan Wani in July 2016.
"Most of them have pellets in their eyes," said Dr Saleem Tak, medical superintendent at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in Srinagar, of the 45 patients who arrived at the hospital after Sunday's violence.
"This was the highest number of these injuries received in the hospital on a single day since 2016."
The use of pellet guns is controversial in Kashmir. Amnesty International has called for the weapons to be banned, describing them as cruel and indiscriminate.
One man who declined to give his name for fear of reprisals told AFP his two teenage sons were struck by pellets while attending a freedom fighter's funeral.
"The doctors are trying to save their eyes. We have to give these sacrifices for freedom," he said.
Another woman tended to her son, who wore a bandage over a damaged eye.
"They say everything is fine in Kashmir, but look what happens here," she said, also declining to give her name.
Islamabad condemns violence
In Islamabad, a special meeting of the Federal Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was convened to review the situation arising from the recent “Brutalities and killings in Indian Occupied and Kashmir (IOK).”
At least 20 Kashmiris were killed in violent clashes with Indian forces in Shopian and Anantnag in IOK on Sunday. The disputed region was shut down on Monday on the calls of Kashmiri leaders against the brutal use of force by Indian troops in the valley.
The worst day of violence in recent years also prompted a reaction from army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who said Indian atrocities in the occupied territory could never suppress a just and indigenous political struggle of Kashmiris for the right to self-determination.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif told a news conference here that the special cabinet meeting adopted a resolution condemning the Indian atrocities and decided to observe a day of solidarity with Kashmiris on April 6.
Asif said the prime minister would also dispatch special envoys to key world capitals to apprise the international community about the gravity of the situation.
Asif said that despite internal political differences, there was a complete consensus in Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir.
The foreign minister also said that he spoke to his Iranian and Turkish counterparts as part of Pakistan’s efforts to sensitise the international community of Indian brutalities in IOK.
Asif said Pakistan had tried its best to improve ties with India during last four years. However, there was no hope of any positive response from the current Indian government.
He warned that Pakistan was fully prepared to deal with India if it went for any misadventure.
Sharing details of the cabinet’s decisions, he said the meeting emphatically condemned the suspension of communication services, especially the internet in the valley, and underscored that such reprehensible Indian attempts aimed at silencing the voice of the Kashmiris from reaching the international community would never succeed.
The Federal Cabinet paid rich tributes to the brave and resilient people of IOK who have been continuously demonstrating against the brutal repression, incarceration, torture and extrajudicial killing perpetrated by the illegal occupation forces.
The cabinet also condemned the draconian laws, including POTA, TADA, PSA and AFSPA imposed by India in the region. It further stressed that the deteriorating situation in IOK and the Indian escalation at the Working Boundary and the LoC is a flashpoint and a threat to regional peace.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Federal Cabinet urged the international community to take cognisance of the gross and systematic human rights violations in IOK and requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to send fact-f-Finding missions to IOK.
The Cabinet also reiterated the Prime Minister’s request to the UN secretary general to appoint a special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir with a mandate flowing from the unimplemented UN Security Council resolutions.
The Federal Cabinet also decided to send special envoys of the Prime Minister, including the President of Azad Jammu Kashmir, to selected capitals to highlight the deteriorating situation in IoK.
The Federal Cabinet declared that 6 April 2018 be observed as Kashmir Solidarity Day in support of our Kashmiris brothers and sisters against Indian brutalities. Some cabinet members would also participate in the joint session of the AJK Legislative Assembly on April 4.
AJK protests
Protest rallies were taken out across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday to condemn the killing of youths at the hands of Indian forces in held-Kashmir.
20 people were killed in a Sunday search conducted by Indian forces in Shopian district of the restive region. Over 100 were injured in the operation.
AJK Education Minister Iftikhar Gilani had said that the government will observe a "condemnation day" to raise awareness about the Kashmir dispute which had compromised peace in South Asia.
A rally was taken out from press club to Quaid-e-Azam bridge. Government employees, local people and Kashmiri refugees, as well as workers of Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan Peoples Party and some religious parties took part in the rally.
The protesters chanted slogans, “go India go back” and “we want freedom”.
Speakers, while addressing the protesters, said that Kashmiris should be given the right to self-determination which was granted by the international community under the banner of United Nations (UN).
“How long will Kashmiris continue to die with Indian bullets and world powers continue to remain silent," questioned senior minister Tariq Farooq.
He vowed the people of AJK will never let Kashmir down, and condemned the killings of Kashmiris who had been fighting for their basic rights.
"In this era when everyone talks about human rights, abuses are at their peak and must be condemned on a regional and international level," Farooq added.
Addressing those in attendance, opposition leader in the legislative assembly Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen said that people of AJK cannot remain silent on the killings in the valley. “People in IoK are our brothers and we will continue to support their political and genuine struggle for the right to self-determination,” he said.
"The blood of Kashmiris is not cheap. International powers should come forward to take notice of the unjust killings in Shopian," Yaseen added.
He stressed that it was time to launch a diplomatic offensive against India as its military establishment is playing with the lives and properties of the people of Kashmir.
"We will raise the issue with human rights organisations in Europe and other western countries to condemn the abuse," the opposition leader added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader in AJK Assembly Abdul Majid Khan said the UN, European Union and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) must put pressure on New Delhi to give access to human rights organisations and fact-finding missions to the valley.
"Foreign Office of Pakistan must activate its Kashmir desks in Europe and other embassies to keep the West updated on the situation in IoK,” Khan added.
Protest rallies were also taken out in Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh, Neelum, Haveli, Rawalakot, Bhimber, Jehlum Valley and Sudhanoti where deputy commissioners and the leaders of political parties took to the streets to condemn Shopian killings.
Additional input from AFP
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