Kashmiris determined more than ever to secure rights

AJK president urges Pakistan to unite world community to resolve Kashmir issue

Despite New Delhi’s move to annex the disputed Himalayan territory of Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month, residents of the oppressed valley are determined to secure their right to self-determination and the sacrifices rendered by them for this right will never go in vain.

This was stated by Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood on Thursday while addressing a seminar organised by the Muslim Institute at F-9 Park. The seminar explored “Kashmir Crisis: Policy Options for Pakistan”.

Masood said that the entire Kashmir valley has been besieged by hundreds of thousands of Indian troops who were carrying out a campaign of carnage at the expense of innocent but defiant civilians.

The constant curfew in the region, he said, has created an acute shortage of foodstuff and life-saving drugs, leading to starvation.

Indian troops are torching grain stocks, while milk is not readily available for infants, he added.

He urged the international community to immediately intervene in the valley and provide relief to the stranded residents of Kashmir.

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Furthermore, the AJK president urged the international community to mount pressure on New Delhi to stop the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri people, lift the curfew and other curbs on civil liberties in the occupied territory, restoring its pre-August 5 special constitutional status.

Masood added that Indian security forces have arrested more than 10,000 Kashmiri people, including a large number of children, since the status was revoked on August 5. To maintain order, he said that these prisoners have been shifted to the prisons located outside the disputed territory.

The AJK president pointed out unlike in the past, actions by New Delhi have faced opposition from within India with several civil societies and political parties raising a strong voice against the illegal steps taken by the Narendra Modi-led government. Many have even been victimized for raising their voices in favour of Kashmiris.

Pointing to statements issued by China and Russia, Masood said that even the international community is endorsing Pakistan's stance on the Kashmir issue.

He went on to term the emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on Kashmir an important development which not only meant that Kashmir has been projected at the international level but that for the first time, none of the permanent representatives on the council — including long-time Indian ally Russia — had opposed it.

Masood stated that by repealing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution — which granted Kashmir its special autonomous status — is aimed at bringing about demographic changes in the disputed valley. Revocation of Article 370 is illegal under international law.

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He said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) backed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government  wants to artificially bolster the Hindu population  inside Kashmir and that this will continue until the make-up of the region changes from Muslim dominant to Hindu dominant and New Delhi can control the outcomes of any referendum with regards to the status of the region.

The AJK president, a former diplomat, pointed out that whenever there is tension or conflict in Kashmir the entire international community gets together to stop a war but they stop short of fully resolving the Kashmir issue.

The current crisis is a chance for Pakistan to bring Kashmir on the international agenda and to highlight the atrocities taking place in IOK, he said, adding that Islamabad should urge the world community for assistance in resolving the Kashmir issue once and for all.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2019.