Pakistan calls for ending IOJ&K military siege

ISLAMABAD: Recalling the Indian occupation forces entering Jammu and Kashmir 73 years ago, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Tuesday called for immediate lifting of the military siege and media blackout, immediate end to the human rights violations, release of Kashmiri leaders and youths, and end to impunity granted to the Indian occupation forces under the draconian laws.

“We urge the international community to play its role in putting pressure on India to reverse its illegal course in IOJ&K and restore the Kashmiris’ fundamental human rights,” he said while pointing out that to this day, the brave people of IOJ&K have remained steadfast in their resolve to defy India and stand firm in their quest for the right to self-determination.

“On 5th August 2019, India took further illegal and unilateral steps to change the internationally recognized disputed status of IOJ&K and alter the demographic structure of the occupied territory. Pakistan and the Kashmiris have categorically rejected this blatant travesty of law and justice,” he said.

For over one year, the scale and impunity of the Indian government’s human rights violations have increased manifold. Through the deployment of additional troops and an unprecedented media and communication blackout, the IOJ&K has been turned into the largest open prison in the world. The world community is calling India out on its tyranny and its façade, as one of the world’s so-called largest ‘democracies’ has been undeniably exposed.

Meanwhile, the Indian Chargé d’ Affaires was Tuesday summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to register Pakistan’s strong protest on the Kashmir Black Day in condemnation of continued human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces against innocent Kashmiri people in the IOJ&K.

“It was demanded that the Indian government give Kashmiris their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions which call for a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices,” Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said.

It was further demanded that India rescind its illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August 2019, immediately lift its military siege in IIOJK, and reverse its illegal measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory.

The Indian side was also called upon to cease extrajudicial killings of Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and so-called cordon-and-search operations and release the illegally detained Kashmiri youth and political leadership.

“It was underscored that to enable an accurate assessment of the humanitarian situation in the region, India needed to immediately remove all restrictions on the media, Internet and mobile communications in IOJ&K and allow independent observers, human rights organizations and international media unhindered access to the occupied territory,” the spokesman added.

Pakistan reiterated its position that India’s illegal steps could not alter the disputed status of the occupied territory nor could they prejudice the Kashmiris’ inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UNSC resolutions.