Oppressed Kashmiris: AJK PM urges intelligentsia, rights activists to raise voice

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan Thursday appealed scholars, writers and those working for human rights to raise voice for the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) struggling for their UN-acknowledged right to self determination.

He was addressing "International Kashmir Seminar" jointly organized by Institute of Policy Studies Islamabad and Policy Research Forum in the State's capital town. "It is moral responsibility of each individual to protect the fundamental rights of Kashmiris who have been denied their rights by Indian government," the prime minister said.

Raja Farooq Haider added that people in Azad Kashmir enjoyed full freedom while those in Occupied Kashmir were facing indefinite curfew, complete lockdown and ban on media all together. He said the people were facing acute shortage of food and medicines in IOJK. "Modi's government has abrogated Article 370 and 35-A to change demographic composition of Kashmir," he added.

The prime minister said that people of Occupied Kashmir had never accepted Indian illegal occupation and 5th August's unilateral and illegal steps. "They will continue to struggle for their right to self determination and bear all hardships in this way," the prime minister added.

He further said that Kashmir was not a bilateral issue between Indian and Pakistan. Kashmiris and United Nations were also two integral parties of this lingering dispute, he added. Raja Farooq Haider said India had given a free hand to its troops for genocide of Kashmiris, disgracing women and disappearing innocent citizens. "The Indian troops have been given legal cover through black laws", he added.

He informed that there were reports of 10,000 disappearances in the last three years while unmarked graves of over 6,000 people identified in six districts of the valley. "There is an Indian Army man over every seventh person in the occupied valley. 96,000 Kashmiris have been martyred from 1989 to October 2019 in addition to 23,000 widows, 11,000 disgraced women and 100,000 orphan Kashmiri kids," the PM added.

Raja Farooq Haider pointed out that 10,000 Kashmiri youth had been victim of pallet guns from July 2016 to up-till now in which 147 had been completely lost their eyesight. Seventeen months innocent Hibba was also among the victims. The prime minister thanked participants of the seminar particularly those from abroad to visit Azad Kashmir and said there was no restriction on movement of any individual in AJK.

Contrary to that Indian government denied access to people in the occupied Kashmir in a bid to hide its inhuman activities. Speaking on the occasion, other speakers said solution of Kashmir issue was inevitable for durable peace in South Asia.

The speakers supported Kashmiris right to self determination in line with UN resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiris. They expressed serious concern over curfew, lock down and communication blackout since 5th August unilateral action by Indian government.

Executive President Institute of Policy Studies Khalid Rehman, Secretary Kashmir Liberation Cell Mansoor Qadir Dar and Acting Chairman Policy and Research Forum Professor Dr Rogrwan Zwan Berg and renowned journalists Syed Iftikhar Gillani in their speeches termed situation in the Occupied Kashmir deteriorating and demanded the civilized nations to take a serious notice of the massive human rights violations by the Indian military and paramilitary forces in the Occupied Kashmir.

AJK Cabinet and Legislative Assembly members, Vice Chancellors, heads of different institutions and large number of people belonging to all walks of life attended the seminar.