Kashmiris have right to resist Indian occupation: Masood

F.P. Report

QUETTA: Sardar Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has Kashmir thanked the people of Balochistan on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Azad Kashmir for their unwavering support for the Kashmiris. He added that numerous rallies in over 20 cities of Balochistan were held in solidarity with the people of IOJK and the AJK flag – a symbol of freedom and self-determination – was flown high in all the rallies.

The President made these remarks while interacting with the participants of the Fifth National Security Workshop Balochistan at Quetta on the topic, “Kashmir – its Genesis, Global Perspective and way forward”. The workshop is being jointly organized by the Pakistan Army’s Southern Military Command and National Defence University.

In his opening remarks, the President said that the people of Balochistan are progressing fast and it is a matter of pride that the valiant people of Balochistan are now being fully represented in all national institutions including the bureaucracy, armed forces, judiciary and also in the political arena. The President while informing the participants of the grave human rights situation in Kashmir said that unfortunately, the situation in IOJK has always been dire since 1947 but after the BJP-led Modi government has taken power in India the situation has taken a turn for the worst. He said that cordon and search operations have become a norm during which young Kashmiris are picked up, the elderly beaten and the womenfolk harassed and molested.

“According to the National Federation of Indian Women, over 13,000 innocent Kashmiri boys have been illegally picked up. These boys are sent to prison houses all over India where they are tortured and left traumatised for life”, said Masood Khan. India, he said, is forcefully settling Hindus in Kashmir and has published fake maps which have shown Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan as the territory of India. Under the pretext of establishing health facilities, they plan to settle Hindus in IOJK and settlements are being made for ex-army officials, so-called West Pakistan refugees and Pundits. “There is an imminent danger of a massive refugee outflow towards Pakistan which will lead to a further demographic imbalance in IOJK turning Muslims into a minority”, he informed.

The President has said that apart from all these steps, India continues to threaten to annihilate Pakistan and “retaking” Azad Kashmir. India’s craze, he said, is fuelled by an extremist religious policy known as Hindutva which advocates a distorted religious supremacist agenda. He said that proponents of Hindutva romanticise a Hindu-only Akhand Baharat. “RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat has said that 1.3 billion people living in India are all Hindus further proving that the RSS and the BJP do not recognise any other religion apart from Hinduism. They want to eliminate Muslims and they are planning to forcefully convert them to the Hindu religion”, he said.

The AJK President said that after the illegal moves taken by India on August 5, the international media has spoken up against the atrocities taking place in IOJK. Even though, he said, powerful capitals remained tongue-tied other nations like China, Turkey, Germany, Malaysia, Iran, Norway and Finland have openly supported the people of Kashmir and condemned India’s oppression in IOJK. Major parliaments around the globe including the British, European and French parliaments have spoken up for the Kashmiris. He said that ultiple hearings have also been held by the US Congress censuring India’s moves and condemning human rights violations taking place in IOJK. Responding to the questions posed by the participants, the President refuted the notion that Kashmir is a dispute between Muslims and Hindus but said that it is a struggle between humanity and barbarity.