EVERY year the Kashmiris living on both sides of the line of control and the world over observe Indian Republic Day on 26 January as Black Day. This time around, when Modi Junta has broken all previous records of oppression by locking down the people of IoK over the last many months, the scale and intensity of protest rallies and demonstrations taken out by them ran high in emotions than probably ever before witnessed in the past. The fascist and oppressive policies of Modi have only further fanned the anger of the Kashmiris who have been waging a just struggle for their right to self determination for the last more than seven decades.
The Kashmiri people through their conduct on Sunday once again made it abundantly clear that no tactics and repressive acts can shake their resolve to get freedom from the cruel Indian clutches. Today the situation has reached the level that the world community including the influential capitals such as the US which used to turn its back to the plight of Kashmiris are now coming up with strong condemnation of the worst human rights violations in the IoK. Out of this pressure, India is now trying to apply deceptive tactics to portray that the situation has normalized in the territory. If that is the case then India should allow the independent observers and media to visit the valley to see the situation for themselves but we know that the Indian authorities will never allow this as the ground situation remains the same with hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri youths and their political leadership still in detention whilst all sorts of restrictions are still in place. Also on Sunday, heavy contingents of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in Srinagar and other towns of IoK to prevent anti-India demonstrations.
PTI government really deserves the credit for forcefully and effectively presenting the case of Kashmiris at different levels. This is the reason that the US President has repeatedly offered mediation whilst the UNSC has also held a number of briefings on the situation in the IoK. At this juncture, it is important for Pakistan to maintain this pressure on India compelling it to restore normalcy in the territory and move towards the resolution of the dispute as per the aspirations of local people. Parliamentary delegations should immediately be formed and sent to different capitals to contact their parliaments, political leaders and other segments of the society apprising them about Modi’s war crimes in IoK. Pakistani and Kashmiri Diaspora need to be further activated to highlight the plight of the Kashmiri people. World leaders such as US President Donald Trump also need to translate their words into concrete actions and pressurize India to shun its intransigence and give the inalienable right of self determination to the Kashmiris.
