Two more youths fall prey to Indian brutality in Rajouri

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: In their fresh act of state terrorism, Indian troops killed two youths in Rajouri district of Jammu region in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Friday.

The troops killed the youths during a violent cordon and search operation in Thanamudi area of the district, the Kashmir Media Service reported. The whole area was cordoned off by troops and mobile connectivity to the area was suspended.

Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission has called for improving the human rights situation in IIOJK. The call was made at a meeting between Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur and a delegation of the OIC commission on Friday.

The delegation emphasised the need for resolving Kashmir dispute as per the UN Security Council resolutions. The minister apprised the OIC delegation of the grave human rights situation in IIOJK, saying India had barred international human rights organisations and media from entering IIOJK.

Appreciating the role of OIC, Gandapur underscored the need for unity of Muslim Ummah to face challenges like Kashmir and Palestine. The OIC delegation has been on a visit to Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir from August 4 to 9.

Separately, Kashmiri-Americans of diverse backgrounds delivered a memorandum to the Indian ambassador to the United States on Thursday, calling for reversing the changes brought in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019, the day New Delhi locked down the disputed territory.

“The Indian decision of abrogating Articles 370 and 35 A that guaranteed the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been rejected not only by the Kashmiri diaspora leadership of all political parties but also by the secretary-general of the UN,” the memorandum addressed to Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu said.

It was handed over to the Indian Embassy where Kashmiris and their supporters staged a protest demonstration to mark the second anniversary of the Indian siege of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Kashmiri diaspora leadership stands committed to carrying on the struggle till the final settlement of the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” the memorandum said.

The memorandum was signed by Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, secretary-general of World Kashmir Awareness Forum; Javaid Rathore, president of the Kashmir Solidarity Council; Dr. Oussama Jamal, secretary general of US Council of Muslim Organisations; Dr Zahid Bukhari, executive director of ICNA/Council on Social Justice; Dr Imtiaz Khan, professor at George Washington University Medical Centre, Virginia; Dr Roof Meer, Herdon, Virginia; Sardar Zarif Khan, Springfield, Virginia, and Sardar Shoaib Irshad, Manassas, Virginia.

It also called for the release of all political prisoners unconditionally; allowing unhindered access to Kashmir by the UN thematic rapporteurs to monitor situation in Kashmir; permitting international human rights organisations and NGOs to visit Kashmir; granting visas to international journalists to visit Kashmir; and creating conditions conducive for resolving Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and as per the UN Security Council resolutions which were agreed by both India and Pakistan.