Abdul Rahman Malik
The Kashmir lockdown enters the third month but the racist Modi is undeterred from lifting curfew in Indian Occupied Kashmir ever since he took the unilateral move to change disputed Status of Jammu and Kashmir by Scrapping Articles 370 & 35-A of Indian Constitution. The maiden speech of PM Imran Khan in UNGA was curtain-raiser since he advocated the case of Kashmir aggressively and strongly along with raising key points of islamophobia and blasphemy. On the contrary, Modi even did not mention Kashmir dispute. The world was apprised that Indian unilateral move has put Kashmir at stake and over 90 days lockdown has brought the State into turmoil and severe economic crisis since the shops and businesses are closed. Services of telephone, cell phone and internet services are suspended.
Even Indian opposition leaders were returned from the airport by Indian Forces to hide the draconian laws that are aimed at ethnic cleansing by killing innocent Kashmiris with pelt guns and the banned cluster bombs. Pakistan has highlighted the issue and the issue went global that has baffled India to follow up PM Imran speech by levelling biased and baseless allegations that had nothing to do with the PM’s Speech or Kashmir dispute. On the contrary, the ceasefire violations on part of India on LOC are very intense that escalated the already t ense situation owing to Modi’s unilateral move.
Pakistan army invited a great number of diplomats belonging to various countries to visit sites affected by the Indian army shelling along the LoC. Even, the Indian High Commissioner was invited to visit the site but he did not bother to visit the site owing to Modi’ extensive pressure to serve Indian interests. India has been playing with fire to drag Pakistan in the conventional war that would be disastrous for the two arch-rival neighbours and the whole region. since China has already expressed its concerns regarding Kashmir conflict. Indian doesn’t miss any opportunity to blame Pakistan if any adverse thing happens in India or IOK. Despite recording protest on the international platforms of UN and UNSC, Pakistan has not been able to win much support from the world powers except China and Russia since fair-weather friend the US has left Pakistan and especially Kashmir people echoing in the desert where the world sleeps but Kashmir bleeds.
Over 90 days curfew has restricted Kashmiris in houses resulting acute shortage of food items, medicines and other utilities. Though Pakistan has globalised the Kashmir dispute, the world response has been quite dismal as UNGA has not called a session to discuss the issue to prevent nuclear war between India and Pakistan over the core issue of Kashmir as both the neighbours are claiming to hold the control of the valley but the plebiscite is the only solution in light of UN resolutions to determine the future course of action that whether Kashmiris want to be annexed with Pakistan, India or just want to retain their independent status. Pakistan has shown the real face of Modi at every world platform so that the world should come forward to exert pressure on India to lift illegal curfew and release the Kashmiri leadership inclusive of those who were pro India.
It is the right of Kashmiris to decide about their future regardless of any pressure or force since violence has aggravated the situation and added fuel to fire in an already grave situation in IOK. Pakistan has done a tremendous job in highlighting the Kashmir and taken into confidence UK, US, Iran, China Malaysia, Russia and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) pleading to raise the voice against serious human rights violations and atrocities committed by 8,00,000 lac forces who are ransacking houses, killing innocent Kashmiris in order to establish their Nazi-type writ in IOK. The issue should be discussed in the UN and the Kashmiris be given right of self-determination by holding a plebiscite under the UN in Jammu and Kashmir. The state should be restored to previous disputed status so that Indian claims may be quashed as per partition plan of 1947.
In a recent move to escalate the situation and integrate the disputed state, Delhi has formally repealed the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional autonomy and divided it into two federal territories in an attempt aimed at integrating it in entirety with India instigating yet another reason for escalation on LoC and protests in IOK. The unilateral and hegemonic move by Indian Premier Modi calls for immediate UN intervention to prevent war since after the Wednesday’ move to divide IOK into two states and giving them in direct federal control has irked the sentiments of Kashmiris and Pakistanis altogether having established strong reasons for escalation that may lead to full scale war between Pakistan and India given the grave circumstances .India has crossed all the limits of atrocities and the innocent Kashmiris are looking towards Pakistan and the World powers especially UN to play their active and strong role to put pressure on India to backtrack from its aggressive policy and settle the dispute through dialogue and in light of UN resolutions.
Finally, the Azadi march led by Moulana Fazal and other opposition parties likely to benefit India in their move to annex IOK and their control over the State. Let’s hope that opposition’s rehbar committee and government’s committee will resolve the issues peacefully and the marchers will return safely to their home
— The writer is freelance columnist, based in Karachi.
