Martyrdom of six Kashmiris by India worst state terrorism, says AJK president

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has termed martyrdom of six youths by the Indian army in the last 72 hours in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir the worst state terrorism.

Reacting to the latest incidents of killing of three youths by the Indian Army in Pulwama district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), he said systematic targeting of Kashmiri youth was part of a nefarious design to silence the potent voices for freedom and the right to self-determination.

“It is the worst example of oppression and barbarism that should be taken seriously by the international community and international human rights organisations,” Khan said. He said that under a well-thought-out plan, the Indian Army was targeting the young people under various pretexts, who were raising their voice for freedom and the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The state president said that after August 2019, the Indian government not only deprived Kashmiris of many of their basic rights by abolishing the special status of Kashmir, but also committed crimes against humanity and war-crimes.

Citing a recent report by the Kashmir Media Service, President Masood Khan said in the past two years, since August 2019, the Indian Army had shot 410 youths and killed and arrested 2,300 youths under black laws in 1,200 different cases. All these actions of the Indian rulers were aimed at terrorising and frightening the Kashmiris to keep them away from the freedom movement, he said and added that all the tactics of oppression by India would fail and the oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir would achieve the goal of freedom and liberty one day.