Writers, scholars draw global attention to atrocities in Kashmir

Speakers appeal UN, human rights organisations to take action

ISLAMABAD: Writers and scholars on Thursday drew the attention of the international literary community, particularly scholars and writers, towards the human rights violation and humanitarian crisis in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

The event had been organised by the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) titled ‘Izhar-e-Yakjehti Rooh-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir’, aiming to express solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren. Eminent poets recited their poems in various Pakistani languages.

National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) Director-General Iftikhar Arif said that all scholars of Pakistan support Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. He strongly condemned the violence and human rights atrocities by the Indian military in Occupied Kashmir. He appealed to the United Nations (UN) and other human rights organisations to take notice and to stop India.

He urged the world community to join their call demanding the restoration of Kashmiris’ fundamental rights. The Indian government’s announcement to revoke Kashmir’s special status is a serious violation of human rights as the special status previously granted a level of autonomy to the region, he said.

Parliamentary Secretary for National History and Literary Heritage Division Ghazala Saifi said that the government will be raising the Kashmir issue at all available world forums.

With Prime Minister Imran Khan due to attend his maiden session of the United Nations General Assembly, Saifi said that he is expected to speak on behalf of the people of Kashmir and raise his voice for their rights.

“Today is the 46th day that the people of Kashmir are facing a curfew and a complete communications blockade,” she said, adding that people are also facing a shortage of food and medicine. Despite these challenges, she said that the spirits of Kashmiris are still high and that they will not step back from rendering any sacrifice for their freedom.

She said that Indian Supreme Court has also recently issued directives to lift the curfew in IOK and to restore life there.

The parliamentary secretary said that the European Parliament recently debated the Kashmir issue and expressed concerns over the human rights violations committed by India.

Modi is now globally known to be a criminal, she stated.

Professor Dr Maqsood Jafri said that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation of breaking India into pieces and is simultaneously carrying out hate crimes against India’s Muslim and the Sikh community, as well as hate crimes against other minorities in India.

Dr Jafri added that Modi’s RSS has also started a genocide in Kashmir.

Modi has violated UN conventions and resolutions apart from its Constitution by revoking Article 370 and 35-A. He said that the Kashmir dispute has now become a humanitarian crisis requiring global intervention.

Earlier, PAL Director-General Dr Rashid Hamid welcomed the participants and particularly scholars who travelled from across the country to attend the event. He said that more events and seminars would be organised by PAL in coming days on Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2019.