'Catastrophic situation in IIOJK demands serious campaign against India'

TeK UK announces month-long programmes across Europe in June to highlight India’s crimes in the occupied valley

BIRMINGHAM:

The severe and catastrophic situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) demands a serious and sustained campaign to hold New Delhi accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This was stated by Tehreek-e-Kashmir (TeK) UK President Fahim Kayani who has called on the Kashmiri diaspora groups across the world to forge a "unity in purpose and action" to raise critical issues regarding Kashmir with the international community.

For its part, the TeK UK, also announced month-long programmes across Europe in June to highlight India’s crimes and its fascist actions in the UN-designated disputed territory of IIOJK.

Read more: JKSM chief urges Pakistan to take ‘concrete steps’ against Indian actions in IIOJK

Addressing a news conference in Birmingham on Thursday, Kayani said: “The disastrous situation created by the Indian military regime in IIOJK demands that Kashmiri diaspora pulls up its sleeves and intensify lobbying and diplomatic efforts in international power corridors which can force New Delhi to stop its crimes in Kashmir.”

Flanked by Chaudhry Muhammad Luqman, TeK UK deputy leader and Chaudhry Ikramul Haq, TeK Birmingham president, Kayani slammed India for the fake trial and farce conviction of Kashmiri resistance leader Muhammad Yasin Malik.

“All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders have been abducted on fake charges and India can go to any extent to satisfy its blood-thirsty conscience,” said Kayani, calling on diaspora groups to form a strategy to seek the release of incarcerated Kashmiri resistance leaders including Hurriyat Conference Chief Masarat Alam, Yasin Malik, Shabir Shah, Asiya Andrabi, Nahida Nasreen, Fehmeeda Sofi, Peer Saifullah, Dr Muhammad Qasim Faktoo, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan Zaffar Akbar Bhat and others.

Calling for a sustained campaign for the release of Kashmiri resistance leaders and activists, Kayani on the occasion released a calendar of various activities of TeK UK to be held in June.

Also read: Indian forces martyr 62 freedom fighters this year in IIOJK

“India is artificially changing demography in IIOJK which is a clear and brutal violation of Geneva Conventions and India cannot be given a free hand,” said Kayani. “It is the responsibility of Kashmiri diaspora groups to rise to the occasion and spread awareness regarding such brazen violation of international law by the fascist regime in India.”

He said that TeK UK-led Kashmiri diaspora groups and their allies will hold a "Release Yasin Malik and All Kashmiri Political Leaders March" in London on June 12 while on June 16, it will submit a petition regarding Kashmir to the UK Prime Minister’s office.

On June 20, Kayani said, pro-Kashmir demonstrations will be held outside the office of UN Human Rights office in Geneva "to wake up from slumber the world's top human rights defenders".

“On June 28, an international Kashmir conference will be held in British Parliament,” Kayani said, adding that early next month the TeK UK will release a fresh programme for future course of action.

Kayani will separately hold meetings and discussions with legal and international affairs experts on the illegal abduction of Kashmiri resistance leaders.

“Kashmiris are not seeking anything which is illegal,” Kayani said. “We are seeking a right that has been given to us by the international community through United Nations. Non-implementation of right to self-determination in IIOJK raises a big question on the credibility of the UN itself.”