The celebration of the International Day of Disarmament loses its essence as India persistently evades addressing the Kashmiri people’s demands for self-determination, raising the specter of a potential catastrophe that could affect millions even beyond South Asian region.
According to a report released by Kashmir Media Service today, India’s persistent neglect of the political aspirations of Kashmiris has not only heightened unrest among them but has also triggered two wars between India and Pakistan.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has, in the past, emphasized the imperative of eliminating nuclear weapons as a critical step towards ensuring global peace. He has highlighted Kashmir as the singular international conflict capable of plunging India and Pakistan into a nuclear catastrophe.
The report cited former US President Bill Clinton’s characterization of Kashmir as the “most dangerous place on earth” and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark’s assertion that it is a “nuclear flashpoint,” underscoring the gravity of the Kashmir issue on the global stage.
Questioning the necessity of maintaining a staggering presence of over 1,000,000 military and paramilitary personnel in the Kashmir Valley, a region inhabited by no more than 10 million people, the report referenced Indian political figures who have admitted to the loss of Kashmir.
The report cautioned that the volatile situation in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to engulf the entire South Asian region. It is therefore incumbent upon world powers, particularly the United States, to heed the urgency of resolving the Kashmir dispute.
The international legitimacy of Kashmir’s struggle, backed by numerous UN Security Council resolutions, affirms the right to self-determination for its people.
Failure to address the Kashmir dispute, the report warned, would have far-reaching consequences beyond the borders of India and Pakistan.—KMS
