AJK President urges world community to take notice of unlawful demographic change in IIOJK

MIRPUR AJK: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Thursday voiced his grave concerns at issuance of domicile certificates of Occupied Kashmir to 3.2 million Indian citizens.

Citing a statement of the Indian Minister of State for interior, G. Kishan Reddy in the Lok Sabha, the President said the puppet regime of the disputed state had received a total of 3,544,938 applications for the domicile of occupied Jammu and Kashmir till December 31 last year.

Sardar Masood maintained that the domiciles were issued to 3,108,682 applicants while 215,438 applications were rejected, AJK President office said.

The state president said the illegal settlement of 3.2 million non-state Indian citizens on the fast track was an attempt to completely change the demography of the occupied territory.

"Such a mass change of demography of a disputed and occupied territory amounts to violating international laws, Geneva Conventions and other humanitarian laws,” he asserted.

He called upon the United Nations, its Human Rights Commission and other international organizations to take cognizance of the latest development in IOJK.

He added that the unlawful settlement of 3.2 million Indian citizens would not only turn the legitimate residents of Jammu and Kashmir into minority but they would also lose their jobs, businesses and employment opportunities.

Meanwhile, talking to President Tehrike Kashmir Italy Mehmood Sharif, the AJK president said the diaspora community was working tirelessly and has played a pivotal role in internationalising the Kashmir issue and turning the freedom movement of Kashmir into an international movement.

Saying that the Pakistan-Kashmir community in Italy was very energetic and dynamic in protecting the rights of Kashmiris and promoting their right to Self-Determination, Masood said Tehreek-e-Kashmir Europe and Italy have made laudable efforts in mobilising public opinion in favour of Kashmiris by reaching out to influential religious leaders, politicians and MEPs.

He added that in the European parliament, the Italian MEPs have been a strong voice in highlighting the plights of Kashmiris living under Indian occupation.

He advised the activists of Tehrik-e-Kashmir to increase their presence through the digital and new-age communication and coordinate with the embassies and consulates concerned to reach out to the students studying in various universities in Italy.

Earlier, apprising the state president of the activities of his organization, Mehmood Sharif said the Tehrik-e-Kashmir Italy intended to hold a big conference on Kashmir to which all political leaders particularly the MPs of the European Parliament would be invited, and they desired that the AJK President should also participate in it.