Convener of All Parties Hurriyat Conference AJK chapter, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar has sought world leaders’ pro-active role to address the dire political and human rights situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and settle the dispute as per the UN resolutions. According to Kashmir Media Service, in a letter addressed to the OIC Secretary General and the UN chief Mr. António Guterres, Saghar said that the blood of innocent Kashmiris was being spilled over impunity by the trigger-happy Indian forces.

“Innocent civilians in particular the educated youth are being killed ruthlessly by the Indian forces during fake encounters and cordons and search operations”, he said adding that the targeted killing of Kashmiri youth amounts to systematic genocide. Referring to settler-colonialism policies of the Indian state, he said, “Enactment of a series of anti-Kashmiri laws have instilled a fear of insecurity amongst the Kashmiris”. These laws, he said, are meant to change the region’s demography and to deprive natives of their resources, jobs, identity, cultural, land and above all the right of self-determination guaranteed to them by no less an authority than the United Nations

Referring to the 5th August 2019 move by the Indian state, the APHC-AJK convener said, “The move was a deep-rooted conspiracy to erase the Kashmiris’ political, cultural and national identity”. Expressing deep concern over the lack of freedom of the press and expression in occupied Kashmir, he said, “Coercion, intimidation and harassment of political activists, journalists, rights groups and civil society activists, has been a hallmark of the BJP government’s Kashmir policy”. “Thousands of Kashmiris including pro-freedom leaders, social activists, lawyers and businessmen who have been arrested before and after 5th August 2019 continue to rot in Indian jails”, he added. Saghar urged the world leaders to influence India to resolve the lingering dispute of Kashmir that happens to be the mother of all disputes pending between India and Pakistan”.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)