Pakistan hits out at India for detaining hundreds of Kashmiris in ‘biggest ever’ crackdown

Pakistan has strongly condemned the arrest of over 1,400 Kashmiris on false charges in one of the “biggest ever” crackdowns in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

“These arbitrary arrests and detentions by Indian occupation forces are a prime example of India’s state-terrorism and trampling of fundamental human rights in IIOJK,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Monday.

The recent surge in extra-judicial killings, staged cordon-and-search operations and arbitrary arrests in IIOJK are a source of serious alarm for the international community, it added.

Last month, Pakistan unveiled a comprehensive dossier comprising irrefutable evidences of gross and systematic human rights violations, war crimes and false flag operations in IIOJK being carried out by Indian occupation forces with impunity.

Also read: Five Indian soldiers killed in IIOJK shooting

The FO communiqué said India must recognise that no amount of brutalisation of Kashmiris can suppress their voice and the legitimate movement to achieve their inalienable right to self-determination.

“Nor will India’s illegal and unlawful actions be able to mislead the world into accepting India’s false narrative against the Kashmiris.” It added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government angered Kashmiris in 2019 by scrapping the IIOJK’s semi-autonomous status.

This was accompanied by a huge security operation and communications blackout with tens of thousands of extra soldiers joining the estimated half a million already on the ground.

Tensions have flared further in recent weeks with a spate of shootings of civilians in the area, with seven killed last week alone in attacks.