Asif Haroon Raja |
Many are suspecting that Panama and Dawn leaks scandals were engineered to topple the sitting government. The Recent publication of a book by a killer Raymond Davis is also seen as a link of the same chain to discredit Pakistan. The sitting government, Army, and ISI are the major targets.
It is most unfortunate that no one is listening to their shrieks and woes and the ill-fated people have not been given any relief. Not a day passes when a Kashmiri is killed or maltreated.
Kashmiris are struggling for the last 70 years to seek independence from India. They are being ruthlessly persecuted and dehumanized by Indian occupying forces since 1989. For the last 28 years, the hapless Kashmiris have been wailing and beseeching the world to take notice of the wanton cruelties of Indian security forces inflicted upon them. It is most unfortunate that no one is listening to their shrieks and woes and the ill-fated people have not been given any relief. Not a day passes when a Kashmiri is killed or maltreated.
Read more: Human rights abuses in Indian Occupied Kashmir (Part 1)
State terrorism under PM Modi
State terrorism led by Narendra Modi is violating the rights of children, women and unarmed civilians. And from July 2016 onward, even the eyes, nose and ears of Kashmiri people are not safe from Indian state terrorism. Protesting young boys and girls including children are fired upon with pellet and chili guns to blind them. Hundreds have been fully/partially blinded. As a state policy, the youth is being systematically eliminated. For this purpose, RSS and RAW are doing the dirty work.
India is not only violating human rights in Kashmir but also trying to legalize severe violations. POTA, PSA and other draconian laws like AFSPA imposed in IOK by India reveal that any house in IOK can be raided without any permission.
In order to change the demography of IOK, new colonies have been constructed where Hindu Pundits and retired servicemen are being settled in big numbers. Refugees from Azad Kashmir are awarded lands and houses in IOK. This sort of evil practice was undertaken in Jammu in 1947 to change the Muslim majority into a minority.
India is not only violating human rights in Kashmir but also trying to legalize severe violations. POTA, PSA and other draconian laws like AFSPA imposed in IOK by India reveal that any house in IOK can be raided without any permission. 750, 000 Indian Army soldiers, paramilitary forces and police deployed in IOK since 1989 have been given license to kill without fear of accountability. They are immune from every law of the State.
Read more: Unrest in Indian held Kashmir
Extra-judicial killings, fake encounters, arbitrary and unlawful detentions without trials, torture and deaths of detainees, sexual harassment, rapes and night raids are a norm. There are tens of hundreds of unknown and unmarked mass graves. Thousands of bullet-ridden bodies are buried in mass graves. 940 unidentified graves were discovered in Uri alone. There is no room for such violations in any civilized society of the world but it is legal in Kashmir.
Read more: Deep inside Kashmir militancy: how damaging can the cracks be for…
India utilizing soft power to hide its atrocities
In order to hide its evil designs and brutalities, India has laid out a smokescreen of falsehood and is indulging in a false propaganda by declaring freedom movement of Kashmiri people as terrorism duly abetted by Pakistan. The US and western world gladly buy the Indian story ignoring the fact that in the light of several resolutions of UN, Kashmiri struggle is a freedom movement and not terrorism. India has put a ban on media persons, Human Rights Groups, UN, UNMOGIP or any fact-finding team to visit the Valley and listen to the afflictions of Kashmiris. A ban is imposed on internet and cable service.
The Kashmiri people totally devoid of external support, however, are indigenously protesting and braving the brutalities and struggling for their right of self-determination and are reminding the UNO to play its role and resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UNSC resolutions.
It is quite strange as to why the champions of democracy are unable to notice high scale State terrorism being committed by India in IOK where over 100,000 people have been killed, 120,000 shops/houses destroyed, over 115000 children orphaned, 13000 women and young girls raped/gang raped and 25000 women widowed between the period of 1989 and June 2017. Well over 10,000 are rotting in secret torture dens for the last many years and their families have no knowledge of the whereabouts and whether they are living or dead. Their fate remains unknown and their wives are leading a miserable life as half-widows.
Read more: Breaking inertia on Kashmir
India has used excessive force, denied basic human rights, and employed various tricks to break the freedom movement and the will of Kashmiris to fight. After fencing the LoC, a wall is being built to prevent even a sparrow from passing through. The Kashmiri people totally devoid of external support, however, are indigenously protesting and braving the brutalities and struggling for their right of self-determination and are reminding the UNO to play its role and resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UNSC resolutions. Pakistan unfortunately never had a long-term viable Kashmir policy to win its case and its actions at best have been reactive.
The school children, both boys, and girls are defiantly throwing stones at the bayonet-wielding soldiers mounted in vehicles, and at times snatching their weapons. They hate the Indians from the core of their hearts and want Azadi (Freedom) at all cost. Conversely, they love Pakistan from the bottom of their hearts.
Since an entire lot of senior Hurriyat leaders have been placed under house arrest, the movement has been taken over by the youth of the fifth generation. Born, bred and brought up under traumatic environment, and having witnessed the horrifying deaths of their near and dear ones and rapes of their mothers and sisters, the rattle of gunfire, explosions and the bloodshed do not scare them. They neither fear the gun totting Indian soldiers nor death.
The school children, both boys, and girls are defiantly throwing stones at the bayonet-wielding soldiers mounted in vehicles, and at times snatching their weapons. They hate the Indians from the core of their hearts and want Azadi (Freedom) at all cost. Conversely, they love Pakistan from the bottom of their hearts. They exhibit their hatred for India and love for Pakistan openly by chanting anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans and waving Pak flags. Those who are martyred are draped in Pakistan flag. Their most popular slogan is “Kashmir will become part of Pakistan”. The Recent victory of Pak cricket team against India in the finals was celebrated by the Kashmiris with extreme fervor. Pakistan Independence Day is celebrated with fanfare and that of India as a Black Day.
Read more: Pakistan finally learns what it must do to help Kashmiris
Is Kashmir slipping out of Indian rule?
India has lost the support of the Kashmiri public, and Kashmir is slipping out of the hands of India. This changed reality has begun to dawn upon many in India who till recent always voiced the government stance that Kashmir is an integral part of India and its detachment is out of the question. However, after witnessing the undying passion for sacrificing and dying, they are now opening that the battle of conception for another Pakistan in the womb of India will deliver sooner than later.
The UN and the world powers must take note of the humanitarian crisis and intervene to stop the bloodshed and human rights abuses in IOK, pressurize India to accept Kashmir as a disputed territory, treat the movement as free movement, demilitarize Kashmir, free the political prisoners, dismantle torture cells, abolish black laws, and cooperate in holding free and fair plebiscite under the UN auspices.
Kashmir is an international issue and if the world wants peace in the region, then Kashmir issue will have to be resolved. Sooner India understands this reality and gives up its stubborn stance, better it will be for India and the region as a whole. The UN and the world powers must take note of the humanitarian crisis and intervene to stop the bloodshed and human rights abuses in IOK, pressurize India to accept Kashmir as a disputed territory, treat the movement as free movement, demilitarize Kashmir, free the political prisoners, dismantle torture cells, abolish black laws, and cooperate in holding free and fair plebiscite under the UN auspices. Since the US is partisan, Russia and China can play a key role by agreeing to become mediators.
Asif Haroon Raja is a retired Brig Gen, a war veteran, defense and security analyst, author of five books, Vice Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre. Takes part in TV talk shows, delivers talks and take part in seminars. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy.