Ali Sukhanver
IT is something very encouraging that the world is not unaware of all that is happening in the Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir; but at the same time very discouraging rather depressing that no one is willing to listen to the painful cries of the helpless Kashmiris. Be it the 5th January, the day commemorated as the Right to Self-Determination Day for people of IIOJK or the 05 February, the Kashmir Solidarity Day, the global community behaves like the deaf and the dumb. It is because of the world indifference that the People of IIOJK are being subjected to collective punishment by Indian occupation forces that have converted the territory into largest militarized zone in the world. Even UNCIP has forgotten its resolution of 5th January 1949 that guarantees free and fair plebiscite in IIOJK. Whenever Kashmiris try to organize themselves against injustice of India, New Delhi tries to suppress them through brutal state terrorism. India is mercilessly using various machinations in order to maintain its illegal control on the IIOJK. And the most inhuman and unfortunate thing is that some of the countries provide support to India against the suppressed people of Kashmir. The worst example of maligning the struggle of innocent people of Kashmir could be seen in a recent report published in the Greek City Times with reference to the Furat News Agency (FNA).
The report says that Turkey is preparing to send Syrian fighters to the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu &Kashmir (IIOJK). The purpose of sending these fighters is to fight against India in the Kashmir territory; says the paper. According to the details, Abu Emsha, the head of the Turkish-backed Suleiman Shah Brigades informed his members a few days back that Ankara wanted to reinforce Kashmir. The report says that Suleiman Shah Brigades is a terrorist organization and a part of the so-called Syrian National Army. It is also mentioned in the report that Turkey had been previously sending Syrian mercenaries to Libya and Azerbaijan too. The prejudiced approach of the Greek City Times could be very well estimated by its comments that Turkish State stands by Pakistan on the Kashmir issue against India. Like Qatar, Pakistan supports the Turkish state’s attacks in Northeast Syria. The report also says that Abu Emsha has stated that those who will go from his group will be registered in a list and they will receive $2000 in funding. The Firat News Agency (FNA) also reported the same thing about this ongoing activity of the Suleiman Shah Brigades regarding sending fighters to Kashmir. The news agency says that it relied on information obtained from Abu Emsha, the head of Suleiman Shah Brigade which allegedly works under Syrian National Army. The FNA had earlier reported that Turks want to relocate some units to Kashmir where each fighter will get 20000 US$. FNA is a News Agency, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The agency is affiliated with Kurds and PKK. The agency’s journalists are banned in Turkey and its web sites cannot be accessed from Turkish soil.
In this whole story, starting from the Greek City Times and ending at the FNA report, where comes Pakistan from? Blaming Pakistan of providing military support to the Kashmiri freedom fighters is nothing new; it is an age-old misconception against Pakistan. The storm of blames and allegations against Pakistan reaches its climax whenever the issue of adding or subtracting Pakistan’s name in the grey list of FATF is under discussion. The recent report is also a part of the same sequence. If Turkey is allegedly planning to do something for the Kashmiris and if Abu Emsha has asked the commanders of other militia groups to list the names of those who want to go to Kashmir, what has Pakistan to do with it? Kashmir Freedom Struggle is not a new phenomenon; it is spanned over seven decades with a lot of resolutions passed by UN. Victimizing this genuine struggle by dragging it to a dirty ditch of blames and allegations is nothing less than a heinous crime against humanity. The countries giving a helping hand to India against the helpless Kashmiris must realize that the people of Kashmir are not the terrorists; they are desperately struggling since long for their independent identity. Their struggle is against India’s illegal occupation over their territory and their struggle is totally homegrown and reflects the sentiments of the masses. They neither are the puppets nor are they animals; they are human beings leading their lives under decades old suppression. Their struggle for independence and their efforts to get the basic human rights is quite natural. Instead of supporting Indian cruelties and atrocities, the global community must stand with the people of Kashmir.
—The writer is freelance columnist based in Multan.
