Daily Times

Pakistan has yet again reiterated its unstinted support to the Kashmiri people in their just, indigenous, unarmed struggle for freedom from forcible illegal occupation of India which is continuing with its brutalities and atrocities through its security forces.

Civil and military leadership of Pakistan has all along been extending its moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris, calling upon the United Nations to implement resolutions of its Security Council and letting the Kashmiris exercise their right of self-determination to resolve more than seven decades lingering Kashmir dispute, drawing the attention of international community to wake up from its deep slumber and condemn India for its gross human rights violation in its illegally occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir and end almost two years long complete lockdown on entire population of occupied Kashmir. They have been voicing their support for Kashmiris at all national and international forums and on every occasion and opportunity.

President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated unflinching support of Pakistan on July 13 when the Kashmiris on both sides of Line of Control, in Pakistan and around the globe were observing Martyrs’ Day to pay homage to their large number of martyrs during last several decades. It was on July 13, 1931 when the troops of Dogra ruler had brutally killed 22 Kashmiris one after the other in front of the Central Jail in Srinagar.

Indian invasion and forcible occupation of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 has led to over 100,000 deaths of innocent Kashmiris, massive human rights violations and long jail sentences, mostly without trials.

President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, in their tweets on July 13, paid glowing tributes to the Kashmiris for their courage and determination which remain deterred against prolonged Indian subjugation and reiterated that we stand with Kashmiris on yet another Martyrs’ Day

President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, in their tweets on July 13, paid glowing tributes to the Kashmiris for their courage and determination which remain deterred against prolonged Indian subjugation and reiterated that we stand with Kashmiris on yet another Martyrs’ Day.

They emphatically stated that Pakistan will continue to provide diplomatic, moral and legal support to the Kashmiris in IOJK till they achieve their cherished goal of freedom, entire Pakistani nation stands with the Kashmiris in their just struggle and would not compromise till their Kashmiri brothers and sisters get their right of self-determination guaranteed by the resolutions of the UN Security Council.

It was none else but Prime Minister Imran Khan who, in his maiden address to UN General Assembly couple of years back, had forcefully highlighted the lingering unresolved Kashmir issue telling the world body that Kashmir was a nuclear flashpoint between two nuclear neighboring powers. Not only on UN General Assembly floor but also at all international forums, and in his interactions with the world leaders Pakistani Prime Minister has been highlighting the Kashmir issue calling for its peaceful solution in accordance with the Security Council resolutions for ushering in durable and stable peace in the region which otherwise remains threatened by Indian PM Narendra Modi’s RSS philosophy of Hindutva.

For more than 72 years India has persistently occupied Jammu and Kashmir illegally against the wishes of the Kashmiri people through blatant violation of the Security Council resolutions and indeed its own somehow forgotten and intentionally ignored commitments to the people of Kashmir.

It was on August 5, 2019, India had also illegally and unilaterally sought to change the status of the occupied territory by ending its special status and making it part of the Indian Union, thereby, deployed additional troops raising the number to around 900000 granted them brutal powers and imposing a military siege on the entire 8 million kashmiris.

It is a matter of bitter record and shame on the face of the world body as well as the sleeping international community that the Indian occupation forces, empowered with ruthless powers, continue to use brute force including pellet guns against peaceful protestors particularly the youth. They imposed collective punishments, and resorted to the destruction of entire neighborhoods and houses in the name of searches, thus killing hundreds of innocent young Kashmiris on occupied territory unabatedly.

The United Nations, its Security Council, the international community at large, human rights organizations and others just keep on expressing concern over the tragic and brutal happenings in occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir. They do not or are unwilling to exert pressure on India and its Hindutva minded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop brutal killings in IOJK, implement UN Security Council resolutions and let the Kashmiris exercise their fundamental right of self-determination and deciding their future themselves.

All major countries by and large have their trade, economic and investment relations with India and cannot barter away that for saving the bloodshed of innocent Kashmiris. Let the Kashmiris bleed and suffer.

But despite all their indifferent attitudes, the Kashmiris are going to be victorious sooner and later, they will exercise the right of self-determination, and will be free from the shackles of forced Indian slavery putting slaps on the faces of those who kept looking the other way while Kashmiris were bleeding and suffering. The day of their victory is fast approaching with the blessings of Almighty Allah, Insha’Allah.

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