IN 1948, India entered the independent state of Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to weaken Pakistan’s security by gaining control over a major part of the region. This intervention, which has been characterized by many as illegal, has led to ongoing conflict and suffering in the Kashmir Valley. It is noteworthy that it was India that approached the United Nations regarding this issue. Despite the UN General Assembly and the Security Council recognizing the right of self-determination for the Kashmiri people through twenty resolutions, they have not succeeded in ending India’s occupation and oppression in the region which remains a significant failure.
The humanitarian crisis in Kashmir has deteriorated significantly, particularly over the past five years under an intensified Indian siege. The oppressive tactics employed by the Indian Government have not diminished the Kashmiri people’s desire for freedom but have instead galvanized their resolve. Basic rights and religious freedoms are being continuously eroded by the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Mosques have been closed to Kashmiri Muslims and the Valley has been described as resembling a Nazi concentration camp. Millions of Kashmiris are deprived of education, healthcare and other essential services, effectively confining them to their homes.
A particularly alarming aspect of India’s strategy is its demographic engineering to favour Hindus. This includes issuing 4.4 million domiciles to non-residents and planning to allocate 20,000 kanals of land in Srinagar to non-resident Hindu investors. The Jindal Group has already set up a steel processing unit on 70 kanals in Pulwama, violating UN resolutions. Additionally, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s map controversially includes Azad Kashmir, indicating broader territorial ambitions.
India’s plans to industrialize Kashmir include establishing seven new industrial estates on 5,290 kanals for Indian investors at a cost of Rs 304.51 crore. Following the abrogation of Article 370, 7.27 square kilometres of forest land were given to the Indian army. Amendments by the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council on July 26, 2020, allow any area to be declared a ‘Strategic Area’ for unrestricted military activities. In May 2020, the Indian Army seized 129 kanals in Patan and railway lines and tunnels are being built for military purposes, expanding the military occupation and worsening the local population’s plight.
The BJP government’s actions have also targeted Kashmiri civil servants and properties. Over 600 Kashmiri Muslim civil servants have been dismissed and more than 800 properties, including agricultural land, houses and shops, have been confiscated. These measures are punitive, aimed at suppressing the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination. Reports from human rights organizations reveal that in the past 35 years, Indian forces have killed nearly 200,000 Kashmiris, with over 10,000 extrajudicial killings during detention. Additionally, 23,000 women have been widowed, 1.5 million children orphaned and over 10,000 people have gone missing.
The Modi government’s aggressive policies extend beyond Kashmir, affecting regional stability. Firing and shelling along the Line of Control have created problems for Pakistan. Terrorist activities through Afghanistan and other regional countries are often linked to India’s actions, perceived as conspiracies against Pakistan’s security. Despite Pakistan’s willingness to negotiate for regional and global peace, India has escalated tensions, using incidents like the Uri and Pulwama attacks to justify increased atrocities in IIOJK.
In conclusion, the situation in the territory is dire, marked by severe human rights violations and a concerted effort by India to change the region’s demographics and suppress the Kashmiri people’s quest for self-determination. Modi’s ambitions, particularly in the run-up to elections, suggest a troubling trajectory. The international community must move beyond verbal condemnations and take practical measures to address this ongoing crisis and support the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Rawalpindi.
