No end to miseries of held Kashmir

The killings by Indian troops of Kashmiri youth continues. Most young men are killed in occupied Kashmir during cordon and search operations. The Indian police and military routinely claim that the youth they killed are militants and were killed during clashes with the troops.

In the month of March 2019, the Indian troops martyred 26 Kashmiris, including one child, in blatant violence that does not ebb.

According to the data released by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service, out of the 26 people, a school principal was among those killed in police custody at the infamous Cargo Camp in Srinagar.

Also, during the same period, 251 people were critically injured when the occupation troops used brute force on civilian protesters in different areas of the territory. At the same time, 148 persons were arrested in house raids and crackdown operations. The figures reveal that the Indian troops also damaged 51 residential houses during the month.

In the same way, the detention/ harassment of Hurriyat leaders at the hands of Indian forces continues.

According to credible figures, the Indian military, paramilitary and police personnel have widowed 22,899 women and molested 11,113 others since the start of state terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in January 1989.

The Research Section of Kashmir Media Service on the occasion of the International Women’s Day revealed that thousands of women were among the 95,316 Kashmiris martyred by the Indian military, paramilitary and police personnel since January 1989 to-date. These include Kununposhpora mass rape victims and Shopian double rape and murder, including children.

The report says that thousands of women lost their sons, husbands, fathers and brothers in the occupied territory who were subjected to custodial disappearance by the Indian Army.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is perfectly clear that the Kashmir issue has to be settled at the earliest and “cannot keep boiling like it is”. In an interview, he said that dialogue was the only way the two neighbours could settle their differences and Kashmir’s resolution and peace with India will be tremendous for the region.

He was quoted as saying that “the number one tasks of the two governments is how are we going to reduce poverty and the way we reduce poverty is by settling our differences through dialogue and there is only one difference, which is Kashmir.” He also warned about the dangers of confrontation between the two countries as once you respond, all bets are off from where it could go.

Observers say after the polls, India should have political consensus on sincere commitment to bring in peace and reconciliation with Pakistan. That cannot happen without stopping blaming Islamabad for stage-managed terror incidents in the Valley and also candidly realising that the Kashmir issue has to be finally resolved at table. The Balakot strike was a failure in all sense and one hopes better sense prevails in New Delhi.