Curfew enters 11th day: OIC, Amnesty ask Modi to end lockdown, blackout in IHK

HELD SRINAGAR: While the curfew imposed in held Kashmir by the Indian government entered the 11th day on Thursday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Amnesty International (AI) and various other human rights organisations urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end lockdown and communication blackout in the held Valley immediately.

According to the Kashmir Media Service (KMS), millions of Kashmiris have been deprived of their liberties and fundamental rights during the past 11 days.

Internet broadband, telephones and TV channels continuously remained snapped. The occupied territory remained cut off from the rest of the world. People were deprived of essential commodities like baby food and life-saving medicines. No access was given to patients to hospitals and the territory was giving the picture of a humanitarian crisis, added the KMS. The Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU) organised a protest demonstration in front of the Indian Embassy in Brussels to mark the Indian Independence Day as black day.

President of London-based Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights (JKCHR) Dr Nazir Gilani has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to reiterate Pakistan’s suggestion to the United Nations Security Council for taking steps to ensure deployment of UN forces in occupied Kashmir.

Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC strongly condemned the ongoing security lockdown, curfew and communication blackout in the occupied Kashmir by the Indian occupation forces.

According to a press release issued by the IPHRC, these arbitrary and unjustified administrative measures had prevented Kashmiris from performing their religious rites, a blatant violation of the right to freedom of religion, Radio Pakistan reported.

The commission is further appalled by the worsening humanitarian situation, arising from long curfews and closure of economic and social activities, which are causing severe hardships for the patients to reach hospitals and general population to replenish food and fuel supplies.

The Amnesty International (AI) has urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately lift the communication blackout, imposed in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) since August 5.

In a series of tweets on India’s Independence Day on Thursday, the human rights watchdog said Narendra Modi must review his decision and end the communication blockade if he believes that his decisions regarding J&K had the support of the people of India.

The AI said it was imperative for Modi to listen to the people in the region, hear what they have to say when it comes to decisions that affect their lives.

The human rights watchdog deemed the celebration of India’s Independence Day a paradox in the light of the persisting lockdown in IHK.