Daily Times

Kashmiris in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and around the world are observing October 27 as the darkest day of their history as a continued protest against the occupation of their territory which India had forcibly taken over it on this day way back in 1947.

Long unresolved Kashmir dispute remain a source of lingering tension and conflict between India and Pakistan which had originated when the people of Jammu and Jammu were denied their fundamental right of self-determination after the partition of the Indian sub-continent and emergence of two separate independent states of Pakistan and India on August 14, 1947.

At that time, it was generally presumed that Kashmir as a contiguous state with a predominantly Muslim population would accede to Pakistan. However, its ruler Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh fled to New Delhi in the face of local residents protests, and through an improper and illegal Instrument of Accession acceded the territory to India on October 27,1947 . The same day India had airlifted its forces in Srinagar and forcibly occupied the valley against the aspirations of the Kashmiris.

This in brief is the background as to why the Kashmiris everywhere and their supporting freedom and human rights loving people all over the world including Pakistan observe October 27 every year as the black day to mark darkest day in their history.

This year for the consecutive time the Kashmiris are observing the darkest day on October 27 in changed circumstances following revocation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019 through illegal amendments to the Indian Constitution by fascist regime of Narendra Modi merging the territory into the Indian Union as its integral part.

Since August 5, 2019 when India revoked the special status of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and placed the territory under military siege raising the strength of occupying security forces to 900000, the Indian troops have killed 273 innocent Kashmiris todate , another1539 were injured and most of them had sustained pellet injuries .

Over 2000 people including Hurriyet leaders, activists, youth were facing illegal detention and lodged in different jails in the occupied territory and India.

For the last 0ver 72 years, India has illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir against the wishes of the Kashmiri people and in blatant violations of the UN Security Council resolutions and indeed its own commitments to the people of Kashmir.

Through the determined efforts of Pakistan through its Prime Minister Imran Khan, Kashmir issue has been activated in the UN Security Council after more than five decades. The PM had highlighted the Kashmir issue and dangers it entailed by remaining unresolved through his two addresses to the UN General Assembly in 2019 and this year 2020 also.

As such, Kashmir issue is now being discussed at all international forums, thrice at the UN Security Council during last year, Indian security forces brutalities and atrocities in the occupied territory being condemned , the Indian government being asked to take measures for restoring normalcy there and implement UN Security Council resolutions and accordingly hold free, fair plebiscite to let the Kashmiris exercise their birth right of self-determination and decide their future themselves.

But it is rather deplorable as well condemnable that the international community topped by the world body do not pressure India in any manner more than its condemnation as everyone have their vested financial and economic relations with big country like India.

Not only the longest military siege entire valley with educational institutions and health facilities closed and not available and the territory remaining as No Go Area for all foreigners including diplomats and media people, the longest lockdown the mankind’s history continues unabatedly in IIOJK.

Furthermore, besides the Indian security forces brutalities and atrocities the persistent military siege is being followed by intentional moves to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory as a brute attempt to obliterate the distinct Kashmiri identity in order to affect the outcome of a plebiscite envisaged in the UN Security Council resolutions.

This action by Narendra Modi led Indian government is in violation of the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and international law particularly the 4th Geneva Convention as changing demographic structure of territory is a war crime.

The Indian government is settling Indian Hindus in the territory in the garb of immigrant Kashmiri Pandits .

Changing IIOJK ‘s Muslim majority into minority has long been part of the Hindutva agenda of RSS ad BJP and they are practically implementing it now. Modi government is hastily constructing transit accommodation to settle Hindus in IIOJK. According to the Kashmir Media Service (KMS) reports, construction of transit camps for Hindus is under progress in all districts of the Kashmir valley.

According to KMS report, released to mark the founding day of the UN on October 24, Indian troops in their unabated acts of state terrorism in IIOJK had killed 95706 people including women since January 1989, 7149 of the victims were killed in fake counters or custody.

During the period from January 1989 and September30, 2020, additionally 161037 civilian were arrested, 22920 women were widowed, 107802 children orphaned, 11219 women gang raped or molested.

As the Indian occupation of its occupied Kashmir continues without the UN Security Council resolutions being implemented and the indigenous ,unarmed struggle for freedom by the Kashmiris is also going on till they achieve their cherished objective of freedom from Indian shackles.

Pakistan has been extending full political , diplomatic and moral support all along to the Kashmiri people and will continue supporting their indigenous, just legitimate struggle for securing their right of self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UN resolutions.

A peaceful, negotiated settlement of the lingering Kashmir in accordance with UN resolutions has been and remains on top of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Without resolving the Kashmir issue, the agenda of the partition of the Indian sub-continent remains incomplete as Kashmir is regarded as the lifeline of Pakistan.

It is internationally accepted and acknowledged fact that Kashmir entails global danger in itself of spiraling nuclear and missile proliferation in both India and Pakistan coupled with their respective domestic instabilities and historical animosities.

India can kill the Kashmiris but not their aspirations for freedom which they will never surrender, India should honour its promises of giving right of self-determination to the people of Jammu ad Kashmir who have already rendered endless sacrifices for freedom from illegal Indian occupation, international community must take concrete steps to end Indian occupation of the held Kashmir and must intervene to resolve lingering Kashmir dispute peacefully to ensure durable peace, progress and prosperity for the people of the region.

India is bound under the international law not to change the demography of IIOJK and the international community must forestall this move and try to exert all possible pressure on India’s fascist regime to honour its decades old commitment , implement UN Security Council resolutions and let the Kashmiris exercise their birth right of self-determination.

The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News, Radio Pakistan, Islamabad and can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com