Pakistan to ‘continue supporting’ Kashmiris

Pakistan will continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination as pledged to them by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, said Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar on Monday.

Addressing the weekly press briefing here, he said Pakistan rejected the Indian Prime Minister’s staged visit to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on 24 April that was yet another ploy to project fake ‘normalcy’ in the occupied territory.

Since 5 August 2019, the international community had witnessed many such desperate attempts by India to divert attention from the actual underlying issues in IIOJK including Indian state-sponsored terrorism as well as widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, he added.

“It is not surprising, therefore, that while the Indian Prime Minister was on his brief visit to Jammu under a heavy security cover, the people of IIOJK were observing a ‘black day’ as an expression of their rejection of India’s mischief and illegal policies.

You have also seen protests and demonstrations in AJK and other places.”

He said Pakistan had also strongly condemned the laying of foundation stones for the construction of the Rattle and Kwar Hydroelectric Projects (HEP) on Chenab River in IIOJK, and had called upon India to fulfill its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty and refrain from taking any such steps which were detrimental to the IWT framework.

Read lhan visits AJK to ascertain rights abuses in IIOJK

“Pakistan salutes the Kashmiris as they remain undaunted in their determination to stand against India’s oppressive occupation.

Extra-judicial killings continue unabated in IIOJK. During last week, in staged cordon and search operations, seven (7) more Kashmiri youth embraced martyrdom in Shopian and Baramullah districts.”

“Regretfully, three more innocent Kashmiri lives have been taken in Pulwama. For the international community, it is extremely alarming that more than 580 innocent Kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian occupation forces since August 2019.”

This streak of armed Hindutva majoritarianism was also spreading fast inside India, particularly during the Holy month of Ramazan, he told.