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Designating freedom fighters as terrorists ‘unjustified’: Pakistan

By Web Desk
June 27, 2017

ISLAMABAD: Designating individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified, said Pakistan Foreign Office here Tuesday.

Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria in a statement issued here said Pakistan shall continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for the realization of the right to self-determination and the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions.

The US State Department on Monday designated Kashmiri leader and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist and imposed sanctions on him.

In response to a question, the Spokesperson said that Pakistan has a demonstrated and longstanding commitment of combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The people and government of Pakistan have rendered immense sacrifices in both blood and treasure to end this scourge, which has been acknowledged by the international community.

The 70-year-old indigenous struggle of Kashmiris in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains legitimate.

“The designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified. The gross and systematic violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people in IOK that have been recorded and reported by independent human rights bodies is a reality.”

Over the past one year the world has witnessed an intensification of the brutal policies of repression being pursued by the Indian occupation forces. This includes the full or partial blinding of over a thousand innocent Kashmiris through the use of pellet guns, rape as an instrument of state policy, extrajudicial executions, use of human shields by Indian occupation forces, arbitrary arrests, undocumented disappearances, humiliation of Kashmiris on a daily basis, the blowing up of their homes and the denial of their fundamental freedoms of movement expression and opinion as well as religious freedoms.

Despite this relentless state terror, the Kashmiris remain undeterred and unbowed.