London report Arif ch
Human rights violations in IIOJK condemned by Speakers
On the third anniversary of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the Pakistan High Commission London organized a Seminar and a Photo Exhibition to mark Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir, today.
The Seminar was attended by a large number of British Parliamentarians, Kashmiri leaders, academia, media persons and eminent members of the civil society.
British Parliamentarians who participated in the Seminar in person, or virtually, included Andrew Gwynne MP, Lord Qurban Hussain, Lord Wajid Khan, Paul Bristow MP, Yasmin Qureshi MP, Imran Hussain MP, Khalid Mahmood MP, Afzal Khan MP, Anas Sarwar MSP.
Kashmiri leader Abdur Rashid Turabi, renowned historian Victoria Schofield, Muhammad Shafiq, former MEP, Raja Najabat Hussain, Chairman JKSDMI, Dr Nazir Gilani, President JKCHR and Kashmiri youth representative Muzammil Ayub Thakur also spoke on the occasion.
In his remarks, High Commissioner Moazzam Ahmad Khan said the beleaguered people of IIOJK deserved support and solidarity from the international community more than ever before because Indian atrocities had not only continued unabated but worsened with time. He cautioned the Hindutva-inspired BJP government of India continued to seek to completely obliterate the Kashmiris’ demography, cultural identity and political distinctiveness.
The sinister project that began some three years ago, on 5th August 2019, to turn Kashmiris into a minority in their land, was proceeding at full pace, he added. The High Commissioner said 900,000 strong Indian occupation forces continued to hold hostage the Kashmiri people under the worst form of military siege and were committing genocide-level atrocities, which necessitated intervention from the international community.
He reiterated Pakistan’s political, diplomatic and moral support for the Kashmiri people’s just cause of self-determination according to the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
The Speakers condemned ongoing human rights violations of the Kashmiri people by Indian occupation forces. They termed Indian actions since 05 August 2019, illegal and in violation of international law, and demanded their unconditional revocation.
They also called upon India to stop human rights violations in IIOJK, and take steps for the full implementation of the relevant UNSC resolutions on the dispute. Justice and the release of imprisoned Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik were vociferously demanded by the Speakers. It was also underlined that any free trade deal between the UK and India should be linked to respect for human rights and the end of the culture of impunity in IIOJK.
The High Commission also held a Photo Exhibition depicting the plight of the Kashmiri people, and the extent of their suffering living under Indian military siege. A large number of Kashmiris visited the Exhibition and expressed solidarity with the oppressed people of IIOJK.
