‘Systematic persecution in IIOJ&K way beyond rights violations’

Islamabad : The documented evidence of Indian heinous acts and war crimes in Kashmir, just like the BBC documentary on Narendra Modi, strengthens Pakistan’s case and Kashmiris’ right to self-determination against India’s Israeli-style settler agenda and military occupation.

This is the crux of thoughts shared by experts during a discussion at the Institute of Policy Studies here.

The panellists included chairman of the IPS Khalid Rahman, former ambassador and IPS vice-chairman Syed Abrar Hussain, Legal Forum for Kashmir founder Nasir Qadri and former minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Farzana Yaqoob. Khalid Rahman highlighted that the significance of 5th February must be understood with its context and observed with a clear objective in mind.

He said it was fortunate that regardless of who wins elections in Pakistan, no government had ever changed its stance on Kashmir. "The consensus between the political government and populace regarding Kashmir is a strength that must be reinforced at higher levels," he said.

The IPS chairman said every social entity, including leadership, embassies, youth, public, media, activists, and Pakistani diaspora, had to play a role in raising the Kashmir issue and voicing Kashmiris right to self-determination. He said in the post-truth era, it was crucial to gain a deeper understanding of national interests and issues.

"This is important for accurately presenting Pakistan’s case and exposing the horrendous acts committed by India against Muslims," he said. Mr Abrar Hussain endorsed the views and said it is our national duty to protect and fight along with the people struggling for self-determination.

Sharing his diplomatic insights, he said raising the Kashmir issue at the ambassadorial and diplomatic level and in speeches, bilateral meetings and dialogues was important because the world must know the sham policies and cruel acts of India in the Kashmir territory. "Efforts by Pakistani embassies across the world, more states have started supporting the Kashmir cause against India. For example, China agreed that the Kashmir issue should be settled through a plebiscite, Turkey’s leader Erdogan raised the issue at the UN, and the OIC secretary-general exposed the on-ground reality of Indian brutality and its heinous political tactics at the international level," he said.

Mr Abrar Hussain also said embassies had taken the lead in diaspora mobilisation and there have been demonstrations all over the world.

"Not only the issue’s relevance is maintained in international politics but also the world gets to know how India has been altering the demography of Kashmir to change the results of any plebiscite, if held," he said. Mr Nasir Qadri said the most important thing that must be repeatedly highlighted was that Kashmir was not a case of human rights violations, it was a full-fledged military occupation. He said the war crimes, systematic persecution, heinous atrocities, extrajudicial killings, and Israeli-style settler agenda of India all went way beyond human rights violations.

"India is violating international law, international humanitarian law, and the Geneva conventions as well. Therefore, it is critical to expose Indian brutalities at international level by encouraging investigative journalism such as the recent BBC documentary on Modi's massacre in Gujarat, which revisited the dark and colonial mindset of Modi and his atrocious conduct towards minorities. The same was testified by British diplomat Jack Straw," he said. The expert said India’s attempts to censor the documentary and call such testimonies fake has only brought more attention to it. "This should be moved forward by Pakistan by debunking the Indian claims and unmasking the dark face of India by using the power of media and narrative," he said.

Farzana Yaqoob said disinformation might be a tool for India, but as Pakistan was fighting for a true and just cause, it must take the facts forward on several fronts. She said the national as well as private media outlets must take a leading position in building narratives, creating and covering documentaries, and keeping the issue alive at the international level.