Daily Times

A striking consequence of the post August 2019 laws and regulations in the Indian-occupied Kashmir have been numerous forced evictions and demolitions of Kashmiri Gujjar and Bakerwal nomads. Nearly one million poor nomads have become the latest victims of India’s Hindutva policies which are aimed at eventually disempowering native Kashmiris.

Pakistan and Kashmiris – wherever they are must continue highlighting this policy that is directly impacting lives and values of Muslims in the valley.

These ideas resonated at a webinar, organised by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). Speakers included the President of AJK Sardar Masood Khan and Dr.Nazir Gilani, the CEO of the London-based Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Council.

Masood Khan condemned the “illegal Indian occupation” and called on the global community to wake up to the Indian high-handedness. We must knock at every possible door to plead the case of Kashmiri Muslims who have been facing brutal oppression and genocide. It is the duty of the world to check the Indian aggression on Kashmiris, Khan said.

Both Khan, and Dr.Gilani voiced concern over the massive and continued violations of human rights with the help of some 100 laws that the BJP-government has enforced in Kashmir after declaring it as a union territory.

These laws are likely to upset the demography of the region as they opened doors to outsiders to come , settled down and acquire properties in direct contravention of laws that bar non-Kashmiris from acquiring lands there.

A Kashmir journalist, currently in exile, pointed out the presence in Indian-occupied Kashmir of one million soldiers, half-million labourers, three hundred thousand Hindutva workers which, including their families, as a factor which may outnumber the 8 million Muslim population of Kashmir. Only after five years, the Muslims will be reduced to a minority which is the main agenda of the BJP government.

The journalist – who wished to remain anonymous spoke of reports of buses carrying thousands of RSS workers last year for settlement in areas near the Line of Control. Areas near borders have become commercial hubs of non-locals who can even speak Kashmiri now.

The second possible consequence, it was pointed out, was a possible infiltration into Azad Kashmir, particularly of RSS cadres in the garb of Kashmiri Muslims.

India may create conditions which may look legitimate for local residents to flee. And many of those residents are not native Kashmiris any more. They are either RSS cadres or Indian security establishment agents, who could be instrumental in not only fanning trouble in Azad Kashmir but also used as proxy victims of Pakistan, it was pointed out.

Speakers called on Pakistan to be pro-active and vigilant of next Indian moves, keeping in view their untenable claims on Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.