'New domicile law a bid to turn IOJ&K into Hindu state'
New law allows non-residents who have lived in occupied valley for 15 years to apply for domicile, says AJK president
AJK President Sardar Masood Khan. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
MUZAFFARABAD:
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Tuesday expressed grave concerns over the Indian government’s new domicile law, terming it a bid to change the demography of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
“Today India has formally issued a notification, which enables non-natives to settle in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and have a permanent residence there,” the president said on Tuesday while addressing a webinar organised by the Center for Global Strategic Studies (CGSS) through a video link.
On Monday, the Indian authorities notified new rules that now permit those who have lived in IOJ&K for 15 years, or studied there for seven years, or appeared in class 10th or 12th examinations, can now apply for the domicile, a mandatory condition for seeking jobs in the disputed territory.
“The government announced new domicile rules about eight months after the abrogation of Article 370, 35-A and bifurcation of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir state into two union territories," he said.
The AJK president said India is scientifically paving the way for "settler colonialism" in IOJ&K through forced demographic change, institutionalising a system of domination over indigenous populations, and preventing the people from exercising their right to self-determination.
Pakistan rejects India's new Kashmir domicile law
“Today the Indian government has put that process on a fast track with orders that the process has to be completed in 15 days and planned around 2 million Hindus to be settled in the first go and then floodgates of migration would be opened which will turn Kashmir into a Hindu State.”
These changes are clear violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, as well as India’s international obligations, President Masood added.
He went on to say that India initiated this process in the guise of Covid-19 pandemic "because Kashmir now is under triple lockdown. One lockdown dates back to 1989, the second started on August 5 last year and the third was imposed in the form of coronavirus lockdown".
The state president said Indian occupation forces in the grab of Covid-19 introduced lockdown have martyred Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and terrrorsing and vadalising the property of Kashmiris on the pretext of so-called cordon and search operations.
"They [Indian forces] kill people, blind them and then they blast their houses and they kill the young innocent men calling them terrorists," he added.
The president urged the participants of the conference to step up their efforts to communicate with multilateral forums including the members of UN Security Council, Secretary-General, president of the General Assembly, the High Commissioner for Human Rights to expose Indian nefarious designs.
He also warned that given the circumstances a threat of nuclear war between Indian and Pakistan can not be ruled out.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Tuesday expressed grave concerns over the Indian government’s new domicile law, terming it a bid to change the demography of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
“Today India has formally issued a notification, which enables non-natives to settle in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and have a permanent residence there,” the president said on Tuesday while addressing a webinar organised by the Center for Global Strategic Studies (CGSS) through a video link.
On Monday, the Indian authorities notified new rules that now permit those who have lived in IOJ&K for 15 years, or studied there for seven years, or appeared in class 10th or 12th examinations, can now apply for the domicile, a mandatory condition for seeking jobs in the disputed territory.
“The government announced new domicile rules about eight months after the abrogation of Article 370, 35-A and bifurcation of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir state into two union territories," he said.
The AJK president said India is scientifically paving the way for "settler colonialism" in IOJ&K through forced demographic change, institutionalising a system of domination over indigenous populations, and preventing the people from exercising their right to self-determination.
Pakistan rejects India's new Kashmir domicile law
“Today the Indian government has put that process on a fast track with orders that the process has to be completed in 15 days and planned around 2 million Hindus to be settled in the first go and then floodgates of migration would be opened which will turn Kashmir into a Hindu State.”
These changes are clear violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, as well as India’s international obligations, President Masood added.
He went on to say that India initiated this process in the guise of Covid-19 pandemic "because Kashmir now is under triple lockdown. One lockdown dates back to 1989, the second started on August 5 last year and the third was imposed in the form of coronavirus lockdown".
The state president said Indian occupation forces in the grab of Covid-19 introduced lockdown have martyred Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and terrrorsing and vadalising the property of Kashmiris on the pretext of so-called cordon and search operations.
"They [Indian forces] kill people, blind them and then they blast their houses and they kill the young innocent men calling them terrorists," he added.
The president urged the participants of the conference to step up their efforts to communicate with multilateral forums including the members of UN Security Council, Secretary-General, president of the General Assembly, the High Commissioner for Human Rights to expose Indian nefarious designs.
He also warned that given the circumstances a threat of nuclear war between Indian and Pakistan can not be ruled out.