Daily Times

Every year, October 27 comes back to haunt those living in the world’s largest prison as they remember how New Delhi had used its bullying power to forcibly occupy the picturesque valley of Jammu and Kashmir; denying them the right of self-determination. That the surprise attack piercing through the barrel of the then Maharaja of the princely state, Gulaab Singh took place over seven decades ago continues to find traction.

There’s no shortage of those who call on Pakistan to forego the smouldering cause of Kashmir and remove the biggest thorn in its flesh. However, administration after administration has refused to turn its back on the distress calls of the 10 million whose hearts yearn to live freely, in accordance with their own will. Considering how an overwhelmingly Muslim population in Kashmir had passed a resolution to join Pakistan back in July 1947 in view of its existing religious, geographical, cultural and economic proximity to Pakistan and the aspirations of millions of Kashmiri Muslims., India should have learned to accept the writing on the wall, no matter how fascinated its prime minister became. History is replete with warnings from the UN against disregard for its resolution to call a plebiscite so that ordinary Kashmiri men and women can finally get a sense of closure.

Quiet contrarily, there have been an intricate series of reforms, which saw India establish the presence of at least seven hundred thousand armed-to-the-teeth soldiers with a hallway pass to do whatsoever they wish to whosoever, whensoever. The genesis of a long and dark era of repression, adopting brutal tactics of suppression, state-sponsored terrorism, and altering the demography of IIOJK, by Indian occupational forces is built upon the very moment Indian forces landed in Srinagar, waving the alleged accession deal, and proclaiming Kashmir to be a component of the tri-colour nation. Largely due to the unprecedented scale of the brutalities, Kashmiri youth appear more determined than ever to breathe in free air. Routinely taking up arms, holding protest demonstrations and using every possible outlet to express their reservations, they implore the international community to pay heed to their cause.

It is an established fact that India only enjoyed a window to launch its shenanigans in the valley because of a biased, prejudiced Boundary Commission, which secretly gave Gurdaspur, a Muslim-majority area to India. While the horrors of the past and the ensuing massacres could not be erased, the world could still join hands to support an end to the nightmare that had begun on October 27, 1947. But then again, why would anyone bother locking horns with a formidable economic force? *