By Muhammad Rayyan<\/p>\n
Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of the partition of the Indian sub-continent, awaiting its completion in conformity with 23 UN resolutions on the subject, calling for determining the question of accession of Kashmir through a plebiscite, under the auspices of the UN. The non-resolution of the Kashmir dispute unfortunately is attributable to the intransigence of the Indian government to honor its obligations under those resolutions as well as the apathy shown by the UN.
\nKashmir Solidarity Day was observed throughout Pakistan and AJK on 5th February 2017 to draw attention of the world community towards the plight of Kashmiris. Rallies and protest meetings were held and participants pledged to seek a resolution of the Kashmir issue according to United Nations resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The day started with special prayers for the martyrs of Kashmir, victory of the freedom struggle and expression of solidarity with the Kashmiri people, followed by mass rallies, symposia, walks for peace, conventions, meetings and speech contests. Kashmir Solidarity Day was first observed in 1990 on the call of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was then opposition leader and chief minister of Punjab. Keeping in view the importance of the issue, the federal government headed by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto declared February 5th as a public holiday; thus the day became a national event. However, with the passage of time it has evolved into a global event.
\nThe observance of the Solidarity Day with the people of Kashmir, is purported to reassure them that Pakistan has an abiding and unswerving commitment to support their cause and stand by them under all circumstances. It also aims at reminding the world community of its obligations towards the people of Kashmir and to reiterate the fact that their apathy to their sufferings could have disastrous consequences for the regional and world peace. Another objective is to send a clear message to the Indians that no amount of oppression and persecution can keep the people of Kashmir under subjugation for long and prevent the inevitable.
\nOn partition of India in 1947, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, in connivance with Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Governor-General Lord Mountbatten, had decided to join India, quite contrary to the wishes of the majority of Kashmiris. When a contention arose between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute in 1948, India took the issue to the United Nations Security Council and offered to hold a plebiscite in the held Kashmir under UN supervision. On February 5, 1964, India backed out of its promise. Instead, in March 1965, the Indian Parliament passed a bill, declaring Kashmir a province of India. While passing through various phases, the struggle of Kashmiris, which has become an interaction between the Indian state terrorism led by the Indian security forces and war of liberation by the freedom fighters, keeps on going unabated.
\nA recent report on human rights violations by Indian Army and its paramilitary forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir disclosed that since 1989, there have been deaths of 93,274 innocent Kashmiris, 6,969 custodial killings, 117,345 arrests and 105,861 destructions of houses. Indian brutal security forces have orphaned over 107, 351 children, widowed 22,728 women and gang raped 9,920 women. Particularly in 2008, a rights group reported unmarked graves in 55 villages across the Indian occupied Kashmir. In this context, in August, 2011, Indian Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) officially acknowledged in its report that innocent civilians killed in the two-decade conflict have been buried in unmarked graves. Notably, foreign sources and human rights organizations including Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) have pointed out that unnamed graves include thousands of innocent persons, killed by the Indian military and paramilitary troops in the fake encounters including those who were tortured to death.
\nRegrettably the reports with regard to human rights violations by the Indian security forces in IOK, compiled by human rights groups and Amnesty International have gone unheeded by the international community and the powers that be, because in the unfolding global scenario, they are looking the developments in our region through the prism of their own strategic and commercial interest rather than showing commitment and sincerity of purpose with regard to respect for human rights guaranteed by the UN charter. No doubt they vociferously advocate them from every convenient roof-top whenever it suits their interests. It is pertinent to mention that during the current uprising that started in the backdrop of the killing of BurhanWani and which continues unremittingly, the Indian security forces reportedly have killed more than 150 people and wounded well over 13000 using pallet guns, rubber bullets and assault rifles. The international community regrettably remains indifferent to what is happening in Kashmir.
\nNevertheless, the people of Kashmir undeterred by the Indian atrocities are continuing their struggle for freedom and the current wave of anti-India demonstrations and hoisting of Pakistan flag in Sri Nagar by the protestors are a clear indication that the Indian machination have not been able to subdue their urge for independence and they would not relent until they were allowed to decide their own fate as per the UN resolutions. India is holding Kashmir against the will of its people and its stance on the issue has no moral or legal basis. Pakistan is committed to the just and democratic solution of Kashmir dispute, that is Plebiscite.
\nHowever, India has never been serious in resolution of the dispute, neither through bilateral dialogue nor involving third party mediation nor by abiding by the UN Resolutions. In the wake of changing regional and global dynamics, resolution of the issue has become a top most priority but apathetic international community is perhaps waiting for emergence of regional crises out of Kashmir dispute. As global players do not find any interest in resolution of the dispute, it has become a humanitarian issue in the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Muhammad Rayyan Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of the partition of the Indian sub-continent, awaiting its completion in conformity with 23 UN resolutions on the subject, calling for determining the question of accession of Kashmir through a plebiscite, under the auspices of the UN. The non-resolution of the Kashmir dispute unfortunately is attributable to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-article"],"yoast_head":"\n