Indian breach of LoC accord, hundreds of deaths, children not spared

Wisdom says there can be no durable peace in the region unless there is an end to multiple violation of Line of Control by India. The question is why the Western countries claiming to be democratic super powers don’t ask Delhi government to withdraw hundreds of thousands of its well-armed troops from Jammu and Kashmir occupied in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Justice demands a hypocrisy-free resolution of the dispute. But savagery has replaced humanity. That’s why there is hardly any check on rising ceasefire violations. Pakistan has to act in interest of peace and justice through befitting response to aggression.

Indian forces martyred an eight-year-old boy Ayan of Jajot village along the LOC on Monday. Use of pellet guns in occupied Kashmir and blatant targeting of innocent unarmed civilians has already exposed India’s real face. Two Indian soldiers were killed when Pakistani troops shelled an Indian army post across the LOC from where the unprovoked ceasefire violation caused the death of the child.

What the world’s peace advocates have to take note of is the escalation in ceasefire violations along the LOC and the Working Boundary. The highest number of violations recorded since the understanding on ceasefire took effect in 2003 was 1881 last year (2017), resulting in killing of 87 civilians and soldiers.

There have been at least 200 violations in January and first two weeks of February 2018. About 14 people lost their lives.

After Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947, the Kashmir issue has been lying unresolved with the United Nations despite many resolutions adopted unanimously, which empowered Kashmiris to exercise their right.

Relevant to this day, in this context, is the appeal made by the people of Jammu and Kashmir to members of the British Parliament in 1989. The appeal, inter alia, said that the wave of independence and right of self-determination against colonialism in various parts of the world had been honoured by the British empire and its people, who believed in democracy and rule of law and granted independence to the masses of the sub-continent in 1947 with option either to join Indian dominion or Pakistan, or to remain independent. The state of Jammu and Kashmir wanted to exercise that right, but the Indian Armed Forces committed naked aggression on the state.

A memorandum annexed to the appeal highlighted people’s struggle against the oppressive and tyrannical Dogra rule and establishment of a de jure revolutionary government in liberated part of the state on October 24, 1947. The notable part thereof was the bitter fact that the fleeing Maharaja Hari Singh secretly entered into “an unholy treaty” with the Indian government on October 27, 1947, and a provisional treaty of accession was executed on the basis of which the Indian Army troops were dropped and pushed into the state to fight against the Kashmiri freedom fighters. That so-called treaty provided that the people of Jammu and Kashmir would have the right of self-determination. India has not fulfilled its commitment to the UN yet.

The day of Indian army attack came to be known as the Black Day in Kashmir and is observed as such by Kashmiris and advocates of human rights everywhere.

Pakistan stand on the dispute has always been principled and in accordance with the UN Charter: there has to be a free and fair plebiscite in the occupied Valley under the auspices of the world body as envisaged in its resolutions of August 13, 1948, and January 5, 1949.

A peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions and taking into account the aspirations of the Kashmiri people would surely create an atmosphere conducive to durable peace and stability in South Asia.

zasarwar @hotmail.com