In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Hurriyat forum led by incarcerated Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that the recent rise in killings of Kashmiris in the territory is a grim reminder of the need to resolve the Kashmir conflict urgently and prevent the region from getting consumed by it.
The Hurriyat forum in a statement in Srinagar said the fast-changing geopolitical reality of the region also points to the need for urgent conflict resolution.
It said that the silencing of guns on the Line of Control by India and Pakistan provided the much-needed relief to the residents of LoC living constantly under its shadow.
“It also pointed to a thaw in India-Pakistan relations, always a welcome development for the people of J&K who see it as a harbinger of engagement and dialogue between the two neighbors and the way forward for resolution of Kashmir dispute.
But sadly, not much has moved forward since, or improved for the people of J&K, instead the oppressive situation on the ground con-tinues unabated.”
The statement said that the Kashmiri political leadership and hundreds of political prisoners and youth are languishing in jails or under house deten-tion and the health condition of many among them is a constant source of worry.
“Yasin Malik a heart patient needs immediate replacement of the 25-year-old heart valve, as per his family sources, while Shabbir Shah’s health has deteriorated in jail as he is suffering from various ailments,” it said.
The Hurriyat forum also said that the passing and implementation of laws aimed at demographic change, post August 2019’s unilateral decision by the Government of India has led to the fear of loss of identity among the people of IIOJK which is deeply disturbing them.—KMS
