Kashmiris living under Indian occupation seek right to self-determination and justice on Kashmir Solidarity Day

Today, April 6, 2018 is being observed in Pakistan and across the world as “Kashmir Solidarity Day” in support of the just struggle for self-determination of the Kashmiris living under Indian occupation, as well as to stir the conscience of the international community against a new wave of gross violations of human rights, arbitrary detentions and extra judicial killings by the Indian state machinery.

Last week, more than 20 innocent Kashmiris were martyred in extra-judicial “encounters” in the occupied Jammu & Kashmir state, under the trumped up charges of terrorism.

The indictment against these false charges came from the Kashmiri people themselves, when hundreds of Kashmiris attended the funerals of those martyred. Thousands poured out in the streets in occupied Jammu & Kashmir to protest against this act of brutality by Indian forces, demanding their right to self-determination and an end to Indian state-terrorism.

Once again, the Indian occupation forces responded in their characteristic manner against peaceful protests – with indiscriminate, disproportionate, brutal and inhumane use of force. Pellet-guns and live rounds were fired at the peaceful protestors - including women and children.

In the past few days, hundreds of protestors have been injured. Hundreds more remain under arrest, including the Kashmiri Hurriyat leadership. The entire valley is in a virtual lock-down, communication services remain suspended, and independent media and human rights organizations are being denied access to the region.

Despite all these repressive measures, Indian occupation forces have failed to prevent the Kashmiris from demanding their inalienable right to self-determination.

Time and again the international community has witnessed this cycle of Indian repression in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Sadly, this has become the new norm in the life of the Kashmiris living under the shadows of occupation. Except for a few conscientious moral voices, the world remains a silent witness to these recurring episodes of death and destruction.

It is high time that the international community, including human rights watchdogs, take cognizance of the gross and systematic human rights violations of the Kashmiris, and call on India to allow the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC to send fact-finding missions to the Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir.

Those responsible for these gross violations of human rights should be held responsible. The “black-laws” designed to oppress the Kashmiris and grant complete impunity to Indian occupation forces should be scrapped forthwith.

Above all, it is the moral obligation of the international community to fulfil its promises to the Kashmiris under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, which pledge to them their right to self-determination. The international community must also support the demand made by Pakistan for the appointment of a Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General for Jammu & Kashmir with a mandate flowing from the these resolutions.

The world must also take note of India’s incessant ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary (WB), deliberately targeting civilian populations on the Pakistani side. This has resulted in the martyrdom of dozens of innocent civilians, and injured many more. Thousands have been forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods. This situation remains a serious and grave threat to international peace and security.

Today, on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, Pakistan calls upon the world community to play its rightful role in promoting a just and lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

We also take this opportunity to thank the people and the government of Turkey for their unwavering and principled support for the just cause of the Kashmiris. Their morally upright position on this issue should serve as an inspiration for others.

Inshallah, this long night of oppression for the Kashmiris living under occupation will end one day. In any contest between force and perseverance, perseverance always wins in the end.