Iqbal Khan
Pakistan continues to internationally highlight the dire situation in the India-occupied Kashmir and the plight of the Kashmiri people in the face of inhuman lockdown since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has addressed another comprehensive letter to the President of the Security Council and the Secretary General of the United Nations on October 31, conveying Pakistan’s rejection of the “bifurcation” of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir; highlighted the continued violation of human rights by Indian occupation forces; underlined India’s belligerent rhetoric and actions vis-à-vis Pakistan; and reiterated the call for strengthening of United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).
Foreign Minister’s letter has since been circulated to the UN members as an official document of the Security Council. Similar letters were also written on 1, 6, 13 and 26 August, and 16 September 2019. The effort denotes Pakistan’s determination to keep the Kashmir awareness campaign to continue at the international level by updating the UN members about the latest developments, including the illegal “bifurcation” of the IOJ&K and continued escalation on the Line of Control (LoC), as well as increasingly belligerent rhetoric towards Pakistan.
Pakistan has strongly rejected the “bifurcation” of IOJ&K into two Union Territories. Changing the status quo in IOJ&K unilaterally is in complete violation of the Security Council Resolutions, including Resolutions 47 (1948), 51 (1948), 80 (1950), 91 (1951), 122 (1957) and 123 (1957). Pakistan has also rejected erratic maps issued by India which do not conform with the UN approved maps. All these Indian actions are null and void in terms of international law and bilateral treaties, and do not, in any way, prejudice the right to self-determination of the people of IOJ&K.
In tandem, the inhuman lockdown that was started after the illegal and unilateral actions of the Indian Government on 5 August 2019, is now closing in on four months. The iron curtain that has been put around IOJ&K, holding over 8 million Kashmiris under siege has no end in sight, and has no parallel in contemporary history. Indian is trying to portray as if “everything is fine”. However, this approach stands exposed due to denial of access to IOJ&K by international media, leaders of India’s own political parties, civil society and Human Rights organizations.
The situation has further compounded by the belligerent attitude adopted by the Indian civil and military leadership. One example of this irresponsible and inflammatory posture is the highly provocative statement by the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, calling for splitting of Pakistan—a sovereign country— in complete disregard for the Charter of the United Nations, international law and norms of civilized international behaviour.
This was followed by a baseless and fallacious statement by Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat, alleging that the Indian Army had destroyed “launch pads/terrorist camps” on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control. Despite Pakistan’s immediate request to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to share details, including longitudes and latitudes of the location, no response was received from India. What had actually happened was unprovoked ceasefire violations by Indian troops, targeting civilians on the Pakistan side of the LoC.
To expose the Indian falsehood, Pakistan took members of the diplomatic corps based in Islamabad, as well as media representatives, to the site of Indian ceasefire violations. Pakistan also invited Islamabad-based Indian diplomats to join. They however, chose to stay away.
There were, of course, no “launch pads/terrorist camps”. This episode once again exposes the intent of the Indian government, which seems willing to go to any extent to malign Pakistan, and take actions to divert international attention from the nightmare the people of IOJ&K are going through.
Moreover, on October 29, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) shared with the world community the latest update on the dire human rights situation in IOJ&K, stating that it was “extremely concerned”, and highlighting ‘prevention of freedom of movement, hampering the rights to peaceful assembly, health, education and freedom of religion and belief, as well as excessive use of force including the use of pellet guns”. It also pointed out that “many of political and civil society leaders of IOJ&K continue to remain in detention”.
Therefore, it’s time for the UN Security Council to work on strengthening both the mandate as well as the capacity of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which serves as the eyes and ears of the international community. This would not only be an important confidence building measure, but a strengthened UNMOGIP would also be able to feed in accurate and timely information to the UN, enabling it to act proactively for averting escalation. Security Council needs to remain actively seized of the matter to urgently address the deteriorating situation in the region, threatening regional peace and security.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to revoke the special status of India-occupied Kashmir has reminded people of extremism and xenophobia that prime the BJP-RSS mindset. Therefore, in the fitness of things, international media, human rights organisations and legislators in the Western world have criticised India’s illegal annexation of the IOJ&K.
Brutalities faced by the people of Kashmir since the lockdown by the Indian armed forces on August 5, include communication blockade, night raids, mass arrests, torture, food and medicine shortages etc. Modi’s government wants the international community to live with India’s de facto annexation of its only Muslim-majority state. The world, however is awakening and acknowledging as to what is right; hopefully, soon it would begin to act as well.
—Writer is freelance columnist; e-mail: [email protected]
