Staff Reporter
The people of Pakistan join in commemorating this Kashmir Solidarity Day, paying rich tribute to the Kashmiris on their resilience in their just struggle for the right to self-determination. More than a year-and-a-half has passed since 5th August 2019 when India took unilateral and illegal actions aimed at altering the internationally recognized disputed status of IIOJK and changing the demographic structure of the occupied territory.
Self-determination is one of the fundamental rights codified in all major human rights instruments as well as the United Nations Charter. The denial of this right and subjugation of Kashmiris in IIOJK is the very negation of human dignity.
The Jammu and Kashmir dispute is one of the oldest items on the agenda of the UN Security Council. The dispute remains unresolved due to India’s obstinate refusal to honour its commitments and its disrespect for the fundamental human rights and international law. Indian Occupation Forces continue oppression and brutalization of innocent Kashmiris through and inhuman military siege, communications blockade, cordon-and-search-operations, fake “encounters”, extra-judicial killings of Kashmiri youth, use of pellet guns, and collective punishment of entire communities and neighbourh-oods. The draconian laws in place in IIOJK provide complete impunity to the occupation forces as they commit egregious violations of human rights.
Demographic apartheid in IIOJK by Indian Occupation Forces is further violation of international law wherein the Kashmiris majority is being turned into a minority in its own land. These measures are a constant reminder to the world community of India’s State-terrorism—being perpetrated day in and day out against innocent Kashmiri men, women and children.
On this day, Pakistan calls upon the international community to hold India accountable for all its misdeeds and crimes against humanity. India must rescind its unilateral and illegal actions and stop implementing the RSS-inspired ‘Hindutva’ agenda in IIOK that is detrimental to peace and security in the region. The key to durable peace in South Asia is resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Pakistan remains in full support and solidarity with its Kashmiri brothers and sisters. We will continue to extend all–out support to the Kashmiris till the realization of their unalienable rights to self-determination.
Today, on this Kashmir Solidarity Day, we reaffirm our resolute support for our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, who continue to be subjected to an inhuman military siege and communications blockade since 5 August 2019. The tragedy of the Kashmiris, however, goes back more than 7 decades as they have faced unabated repression and consistent denial of their fundamental rights by India.
While observing this Day, we salute the unflinching resolve of Kashmiris in their valiant struggle for the right to self-determination, which was pledged to them by India, Pakistan, and the international community. Eversince India reneged on this commitment, it has sought to brutally suppress the Kashmiris’ quest for freedom.
The latest Indian attempts to further colonize IIOJK by altering its demography and obliterating the distinct Kashmiri identity are reflective of a sinister design to convert the Muslim majority into a minority. These changes are being carried out through promulgation of illegal domicile rules, changes in property laws, and downgrading the status of Urdu language. Incentives are being offered to outsiders to settle on the occupied land of the Kashmiris in violation of international law, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention.
Over 8 million Kashmiris have been turned into prisoners in their own homes, with more than 900,000 occupation troops holding them hostage. History has few examples of such violation of fundamental rights. Thousands of Kashmiris have been arbitrarily detained. The Kashmiri youth is being particularly targeted through abductions, incarceration at undisclosed locations, indiscriminate use of pellet guns, and extra-judicial killings in fake ‘encounters.’ This is a manifestation of Indian state-terrorism against innocent Kashmiris.
There should be immediate lifting of the military siege and communications blockade as well as rescinding of India’s illegal and unilateral actions in IIOJK. All those arbitrarily arrested and illegally incarcerated should be released and draconian laws providing impunity to Indian occupation forces immediately repealed. The international human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as the international media, should be allowed access to investigate the grave human rights situation in the occupied territory.
Pakistan reiterates its call on the world community to hold India accountable for its crimes against humanity in IIOJK. India must stop its brutal suppression of Kashmiris, adhere to its international human rights obligations, and honour the commitment to grant to Kashmiris their inalienable right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices.
For its part, Pakistan will remain unshakable in its solidarity with the Kashmiri people until they realize their legitimate and inalienable right to self-determination, in accordance with the United Nations Charter and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. This is indispensible for durable peace and security in South Asia.
