West sleeps over barbarity in IOK

Kashmiris whose motherland was occupied by India at gunpoint in violation of the United Nations Charter some seven decades ago have not surrendered, they look towards Muslim countries for unhindered support to their cause in the face of curfew, killing of men, women and children.

Young Kashmiris living in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for studies and earning livelihoods feel encouraged by Pakistan’s befitting response to India’s aggressive posture on Line of Control. They laud highlighting at emergency OIC session the Indian brutalities in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) against innocent and defenceless civilians who are struggling for their right to self-determination.

This scribe twice availed of the opportunity to secretly visit an area of the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Heads of two families had been taken away by the Indian occupying forces for a lunch “but your father has not yet come, so we are taking him to a hotel,” the child told me. The child, further encouraged, also disclosed the sepoy insisted on calling ‘Ram, Ram’. The boy said he would not do it. I advised the child not to fear them, simply say: Allah, Allah, Allah-O-Akbar.

Long ago India promised to hold plebiscite in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution but has not yet stood by its commitment. Instead, it has reportedly violated the ceasefire agreement more than 125 times. Such an undemocratic act should have opened the eyes of the Western democracies, but they all seem to have turned a blind eye to Indian barbarity in Occupied des of the Line of Control and across the globe observed the Indian Independence Day on August 15 as Black Day to convey the message to international community that India had usurped their inalienable right to self-determination.

The question is: Can regional peace and prosperity be achieved without solving the Kashmir issue? Kashmiri youths say there has to be a just resolution of the dispute: ‘We can’t be cowed, nor can anybody, silence us.’

The issue has been lying unresolved with the UN despite resolutions adopted unanimously, which empowered Kashmiris to exercise their right to self-determination. That’s called plebiscite which simply means the direct vote of Kashmiris, wherever they are, on the issue.

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 Kashmiris’ appeal to British MPs sometime 25 years back highlighted their struggle against oppressive 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 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. The day of Indian army attack came to be known as the Black Day in Kashmir and is observed as such by Kashmiris and their supporters.

Kashmiris, including minors, have been martyred, 8,000 injured by Indian army during the last five and a half months. About six hundred have lost their have been arrested.

— zasarwar@hotmail.com