Islamabad rejects New Delhi's attempts to portray normalcy in occupied Kashmir

India exerting dictatorial control over information coming out of IOK to promote its own narrative: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has categorically rejected New Delhi's attempts to portray normalcy in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

"Pakistan categorically rejects Indian attempts, including the recent briefing by the Indian national security adviser, seeking to portray a totally false impression of normalcy in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir," read a statement issued on Sunday by FO Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal.

Referring to IOK as the “largest prison in the world”, the FO said that despite Indian claims, the region is "still under lockdown by Indian occupying forces since the coercive, unilateral and illegal Indian actions of August 5 aimed at altering the internationally recognised disputed status of IOK and changing its demographic structure to preempt the results of a UN plebiscite".

The FO said the Kashmiri leadership – including Hurriyat leaders – remain under house arrest, while the international media continues to highlight the humanitarian nightmare in occupied Kashmir – including the arrests of innocent Kashmiris, kidnappings of young boys to coerce their parents into submission, communication blockade and restrictions on freedom of media.

"Kashmiris are unable to offer Friday prayers in mosques and there are credible reports of shortage of food items, including baby food and medicines," said the FO.

"Contrary to Indian claims, use of pellet guns continues in a brutal assault by Indian occupation forces against innocent Kashmiris. India has failed to justify why Kashmiris are unable to get in touch with their loved ones through the iron curtain forced by India on IOJ&K, inhumanely cutting off more than 8 million Kashmiris from the rest of the world."

The FO said these actions had prompted the "international community and international human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, to question Indian assertions of “normalcy” , including the denial of permission to the Indian opposition leaders themselves to visit IOJ&K".

FO plays down Modi letter as ‘diplomatic practice’

The Foreign Office said the Indian government was exerting "completely authoritarian and dictatorial control" over all the information coming out of the occupied region and was distorting the truth and twisting facts to promote its own narrative.

India’s most recent attempt to distort the truth, according to the FO, was during an Indian army presser on September 4 when they blamed the death of Kashmiri citizens on "Pakistani militants".

"The Indian NSA has also been trying to justify increasingly frequent reports of Kashmiri casualties by blaming them unsuccessfully on Pakistan. In a farcical attempt to twist the truth, Indian army tried to portray two Pakistanis, Mohammad Nazeem and Khalil Ahmed, who had inadvertently crossed the LoC near Hajipir on 21 August 2019 as 'militants'."

"This was despite the fact that the incident was discussed during the weekly military hotline contact between both sides on 27 August 2019 when Indian authorities acknowledged that they were inadvertent crossers and informed Pakistan that routine formalities are taking place after which they will be returned," read the statement.

"Such devious tactics reflect Indian desperation and attempts to shift international attention from the humanitarian nightmare in IOJ&K."

 

The statement further said that Pakistan has continuously informed the international community about the danger of a false flag operation by India in order to divert attention from its brutalities in IOK.

"Instead of indulging in fabricated stories, India should comply with international obligations and immediately cease its atrocities against innocent Kashmiris, lift the communication blockade and allow international fact-finding missions, including the OHCHR and the OIC IPHRC and international media, to visit IOJ&K to distinguish facts from fiction," said the FO.