On 5th of August, 2019 when article 370 and 35A were revoked in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), the demographic terrorism that India was trying to perpetuate for years came into full swing. Before making these changes to the constitution, the Indian government deployed more than 40,000 armed troops in IIOJ&K, in addition to already deployed over a million troops in territory over the years under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). India scrapped the special status of IIOJK and bifurcated it into two so-called ‘Union Territories’ to alter its internationally-recognized disputed status and undermine the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The Indian actions triggered a process of demographic change and political engineering. As a result, the Kashmiri people are confronted with the danger of becoming a disempowered minority in their own land.
When India and Pakistan became independent in August 1947, Kashmir being a Muslim-majority state with 87% Muslim population, had the natural right to accede to Pakistan. Yet, the Hindu ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, on October 27, 1947 destroyed the future of Kashmiri people by announcing its accession to India under a controversial document titled the Instrument of Accession. On the same day, India winched its forces to Srinagar and occupied the valley. Kashmir thus remains an unfinished agenda of partition; a long-standing dispute between both the countries, which originated on the basis of denied right of self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and hence their plight is still unheard.
The people of Kashmir rejected illegal Indian occupation since day one. India took the matter to the UN Security Council on January 1, 1948, to settle the Kashmir dispute. Consecutive resolutions passed by the Security Council invalidated the Indian invasion in Occupied Kashmir. However, the demilitarisation of IIOJ&K and the demand for a plebiscite still remains unfulfilled. Today, the geopolitical positioning of Kashmir has made it a nuclear flashpoint in South Asia.
Subsequent to 5th of August 2019, India unleashed a new reign of oppression in IIOJ&K. There are efforts to silence the media and the genuine leadership of the Kashmiri people. Seeking death penalty for one of the most renowned Kashmiri leader, Mr. Yasin Malik is a case in point. Besides, the harassment of innocent people, arbitrary detentions, ‘cordon and search’ operations, and extra judicial killings have become a matter of routine. Media blackout is a way of life while disappearance of the sane voices is a norm. The Kashmiri people remain deprived of their fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and religion. However, the spirit of independence from the Indian carnages is far from dying down. More and more youth, women and even old men are joining the freedom movement on daily basis. The Indian tactics to subdue the conflict through different ventures including that of international stature are therefore fruitless.
Pakistan has always stood with its Kashmiri brethren through unflinching moral, political and diplomatic support. Pakistan has always tried to highlight Indian atrocities to the international community and reminded them of their obligations via UNSC resolutions to resolve the conflict. In order to denounce gruesome Indian act of Aug 5, 2019, Pakistan observes ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ as a sombre occasion every year on the same date. All across Pakistan and in IIOJ&K, this day is remembered as a curse to the humanity and renewed efforts to highlight this Indian profanity are pledged.
As a party to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Pakistan has always played its role to ensure a free and impartial plebiscite in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions. Pakistan’s strong and steadfast moral, political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people is testament of the fact that Pakistan wants peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with the tenets of international norms and relations. The international community must demand an end to India’s gross and widespread human rights violations in IIOJ&K; reversal of its unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019; repeal of draconian laws; and implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. Until then the plight of Kashmiris will remain unheard and their miserable condition will stay same.
The writer works at the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad as Communication Strategist and can be reached at [email protected].