MIRPUR (AJK): Kashmir Freedom Movement (KFM) President Engr Afzal Ziai has urged G-20 member nations to address the ongoing human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and should take immediate practical steps to promote economic development and peaceful resolution of the lingering Jammu and Kashmir conflict.
“The Kashmir Freedom Movement is an indigenous political party and civil resistance movement dedicated to advocating for the rights and aspirations of the people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and works to promote the cause of Kashmiri self-determination and end the human rights abuses in the region,” Ziai said in his letter addressed to G20 member countries’ Ambassadors in Islamabad on Sunday.
In his letter, Engr. Ziai highlighted the continued human rights abuses and oppression suffered by the people of Jammu and Kashmir under Indian Illegal occupation. He called upon the international community, particularly the G20 member countries, to take concrete measures to address the issue and put an end to the suffering of the Kashmiri people. The letter highlights the impacts of the ongoing conflict in Jammu and Kashmir state, which has been a source of instability and suffering for the people of the region for many decades.
Engr. Ziai stated, “The Kashmiri people have been subjected to inhuman treatment at the hands of the Indian security forces for decades. The world cannot continue to turn a blind eye to these atrocities. It is the responsibility of the international community to take action and ensure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are granted their fundamental human rights.”
The Indian government unilaterally changed the UN-recognised disputed status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir through enforced annexation on 5th August 2019. India has bifurcated the areas of the State of Jammu and Kashmir under its administration and created two new Union Territories. The Indian authorities are clamping down on civil liberties and putting the entire population of Jammu and Kashmir under the direct rule of two Lt. Governors appointed by the Indian Government and putting the entire State under direct military occupation.
The KFM appeals to the G20 leaders to reconsider the venue for the upcoming 3rd tourism working group meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. This decision has the potential to legitimize the illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and further marginalize the voices of the Kashmiri people, who have endured decades of human rights violations and political instability.
The KFM chief urged the G20 leaders to raise awareness about the concerns of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The conflict is not just a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan but involves the aspirations and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, it is important to include the people of Jammu and Kashmir in any future effort to resolve the conflict.
“The KFM believes that a peaceful resolution of the conflict, based on the principles of the right of self-determination, justice, and democratic rights, can be achieved by comprehensive dialogue amongst all the concerned parties. They appeal to the G20 leaders to make the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir conflict a priority in the Leaders’ Declaration at the G20 Summit. They call on the G20 leaders to take practical steps towards this end, including encouraging dialogue and constructive engagement between the people of Jammu and Kashmir, India, and Pakistan, and supporting the implementation of confidence-building measures and the promotion of economic development in the region”, Ziai said.
The KFM believes that resolving the Jammu and Kashmir conflict urgently can promote peace and stability in South Asia and contribute towards sustainable development and well-being of the people of the region, he added.