Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir: PM Shehbaz says India altering demographic structure of IIOJK

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday stated that India was altering the demographic structure of Illegally Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and paid tribute to the martyrs of IIOJK for their sacrifice.

In a tweet today, he wrote, “Today marks the 3rd sombre anniversary of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 that aimed at changing the internationally recognised disputed status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and altering the demographic structure of the occupied territory.”

"Over the last decades, India has used unbridled force with complete impunity," he said.

Generations after generations, brave Kashmiris have persevered in the face of fear, intimidation, torture and worst forms of human rights violations. Indian oppression has failed to dent their resolve, the PM noted.

“The Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been a battle of hope against overwhelming odds, of courage against fear and of sacrifice against tyranny,” he said. “Today, we pay rich tributes to all the martyrs of IIOJK for their ultimate sacrifice and to their families for their resolve and courage.”

In a separate statement, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged the international community to call for an end to India’s violation of human rights.

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“Pakistan has always desired peaceful relations with its neighbours, including India. Unfortunately, India’s actions and its subsequent machinations have vitiated the peace and security environment in South Asia,” he said.

“The onus remains on India to create a conducive environment for result-oriented engagement. This is essential for durable peace and stability in the region.”

He requested the international community to demand an end to India’s gross and widespread human rights violations in IIOJK, reversal of its unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019, repeal of draconian laws and implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.

On its part, Pakistan’s ultimate objective remains the peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and wishes of the Kashmiri people, the foreign minister emphasised.

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“In this just cause, Pakistan will always remain in strong support and solidarity with our Kashmiri brethren till the full realisation of their legitimate rights,” he said.

On August 5, 2019, the government of India revoked temporary special status, or autonomy, granted under Article 370 to IIOJK.

Bilawal cited that developments in the last three years have made it amply clear that India has been relentlessly pursuing its nefarious design of furthering demographic changes in IIOJK.

“It is doing so through repressive measures including outrageous gerrymandering to create Hindu-dominated constituencies at the expense of Muslim majorities, the issuance of millions of fake domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris, and modifying laws on ownership of land and property,” the release stated.

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Bilawal stressed that the presence of 900,000 troops had turned IIOJK into the most militarised zone in the world.

“The human suffering of Kashmiris, inflicted through extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detentions, incarceration of the true Kashmiri leadership, and harassment and other gross violations of human rights, are well-documented and have been condemned worldwide,” the foreign minister said.

“More than 650 Kashmiris have been martyred since 5 August 2019, including over 130 in the year 2022 alone.”

He highlighted that India’s reprehensible treatment of Kashmiri journalists and human rights defenders has revealed that it would not hesitate to go to any extent for the perpetuation of its illegal occupation.

Former prime minster Imran Khan also condemned India for revoking the special status granted to IIOJK and said that “on 5 August 2019, Modi government violated UNSC resolutions and international law by illegally revoking Special Status of IIOJK.”

He further said that the Modi government then moved to commit a war crime under Fourth Geneva Convention by altering demography of IIOJK. It assumed that the move would crush the spirit of Kashmiri resistance but the Kashmiris' spirit of resistance became stronger and it continues to strengthen, Imran Khan said in a tweet.

“The selective morality of the international community and silence against India's brazen violations of all international laws and UNSC resolutions is condemnable,” he said. “We are asked to echo condemnations on issues of human rights the powerful in the international community take up but when it comes to India and its massive human rights violations in IIOJK, there is complete silence by the same powers because of India's market or its strategic military partnerships.”

Separately, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation highlighted that August 5, 2022 marked the third anniversary of the illegal and unilateral actions taken in the IIOJK, which were followed by additional unlawful measures including illegal demographic changes.

Such illegal actions can neither alter the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir nor prejudice the legitimate right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

Recalling the resolutions of the Islamic Summit and Council of Foreign Ministers on Kashmir, the General Secretariat reaffirmed the OIC’s solidarity with the Kashmiri people in the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination.

It called for respecting the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of Kashmiris and for the reversal of all illegal and unilateral measures taken on or after 5 August 2019.

The General Secretariat reiterated its call on the international community to take concrete steps for the resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.