IIOJK Annexation By India Put Peace Of South Asia At Stake: Experts

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Aug, 2022 ) :Diplomatic and human rights experts here Monday said the unlawful annexation of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jummu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on August 5, 2019 by the fascist Modi Government had put peace of entire South Asia at stake and urged United Nations to implement its resolutions on Kashmir for lasting peace and stability in the entire region.

They said women and children were subjected to sexual assaults in IIOJK where Kashmiris were deprived of all rights including free movement, communications and liberties.

Manzoorul Haq, former Ambassador of Pakistan told APP that the unlawful annexation of IIOJK by India was a clear violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSC) as well as International laws.

He said such unilateral and illegal actions taken by the fascist Modi Government on August 5, 2019 could not change the disputed status of the held valley. IIOJK was an internationally recognized disputed territory and its illegal annexation was a clear violation of UNSC resolutions, he reiterated.

"The August 5 illegal actions by the Indian Govt have put peace of entire South Asia at stake and another war on Kashmir between two nuclear armed neighbour countries would prove disastrous for the entire region," he said, adding any unilateral step or action by Indian government could not change its disputed status, as enshrined in UNSC resolutions.

"The revoking of Article 370 by the Indian Govt was tantamount to changing the demographic structure as well as status of IIOJK and Pakistan can't remain silent over such illegal acts." These illegal acts, he said, had exposed real face of the so-called secular state and proved that there was no room for minorities in India where Muslims and Kashmiris were being subjected to serious human rights abuses, extra judicial killings and state terrorism.

The scrapping of Article 370 from Indian constitution had exposed India's nefarious designs against oppressed Kashmiris as well as Modi government's hegemonic expansionist policies through subjugation of minorities through state terrorism.

"India could neither change the disputed status of IIOJK, as enshrined in UNSC resolutions, nor could it force Pakistan and Kashmiris to accept the illegal outcomes. Time is near when Kashmiris would get freedom from Indian yoke," he said.

Professor Dr. H.R Hialali, former Chairman Political Science Department, University of Peshawar said that four wars had been fought between two nuclear armed neighboring countries on Kashmir and another war could prove disastrous for the entire South Asia and its devastating effects might go beyond this region.

Dr Hilali said that the road to peace in subcontinent was passing through Kashmir and lasting peace and stability in the region could not be established unless resolution of this core issue as per wishes of Kashmiris.

He said observance of August 5 as black day in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir was aimed at strongly condemning the illegal annexation of IIOJK and highlighting illegal actions of Modi Government besides continued inhuman treatment being meted to besieged Kashmiris.

Human rights expert and former General Secretary Peshawar High Court Bar Association, Astagirfullah Khan said the excessive use of pellet guns by Indian Army against innocent Kashmiris was a serious human right issue and international community including UN should take serious notice of it.

"The continued unproved firings and use of pellet guns by the occupational Indian army in IIOJK had deprived thousands of innocent Kashmiris of their eye sights and many were killed and disabled for life," he added.

He said women and children were sexually assaulted by the Indian occupational forces in the name of search operations besides Kashmiri youth were killed in fake encounters.

He said martyrdom of freedom fighter Buran Wani and illegal imprisonment of great Hurriat leader, Yasin Malik had exposed Indian Govt's cruelty and oppressions against Kashmiris.

Independent media, he said, was not being given access to report from IIOJ&K, which was a clear violation of freedom of speech and expression, besides a big blot on the face of so-called secular India.

"IIOJK has been converted into a largest prison of world where peaceful Kashmirs were facing worst forms of repressions and deprived of all fundamental rights including freedom of speech, movement and liberties." The experts urged UN and world super powers to put pressure on India to allow UN Fact Finding Mission to IIOJK to independently monitor the grave human rights abuses, extra judicial killings and sexual assaults on women and children in the repeated fake encounters in the held valley and give right of self determination to them as per UN Security Council's resolutions.

They demanded India to immediately reverse its unlawful and destabilizing actions of the August 5, 2019 and ensure implementation of UNSC resolutions on Kashmir like East Taimur which was imperative for regional peace and security in South Asia.