Kashmir Solidarity Day: Refocus on War of Liberation

By Sajjad Shaukat

Every year, Kashmir Solidarity Day is observed on February 5 by the people throughout Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK). Pakistan observes this very day to express country’s unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to the just struggle of the Kashmiri brethren, as enshrined in the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions.

The day is marked by public processions, seminars, protests and special prayers in mosques by people across Pakistan and (AJK) to condemn Indian military oppressions which are being carried out in the disputed territory of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and to show solidarity with the Kashmiri freedom fighters who continue their war of liberation of the IIOJK.

In order to maintain its illegal control, India has continued its repressive regime in the IIOJK through various machinations.

While Indian Constitution was torn into pieces when on August 5, 2019, Indian Parliament revoked articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to the IIOJK. The act split the IIOJK into two territories to be ruled directly from center.

Thus, fanatic PM Modi’s government led by extremist party BJP unilaterally annexed the IIOJK to turn Muslim majority into minority. On the same day, strict military lockdown was imposed in the IIOJK which continues unabated.

The deployment of more than 900,000 military troops in the IIOJK, who have martyred tens of thousands of the Kashmiris, including women and children through brutal tactics-fake encounters, while closure of mosques, shortage of foods, medicines for the patients have further increased the plight of the Kashmiris.

While, under a well-planned hidden agenda, Modi-led regime has intensified, bringing ethno- demographic changes in IIOJK. In this context, Indian various moves such as introduction of new laws, amendment of the laws to facilitate non-Kashmiris and outsiders in order to usurp the rights of the Muslim Kashmiris—issuance of domicile certificates to more than 800000 non-Kashmiris, registration of almost 2.5 million new non-local voters in the IIOJK—failure of fake drama to host G-20 summit on May 22-24, 2023 in the IIOJK, from time to time, violations of the Line of Control (LoC) by shelling inside Pakistanis side of Kashmir—in violation of the ceasefire agreement of 2003 might be cited as instance.

In order to conceal India’s state terrorism, Kashmir has been cut off from rest of the world.

Notably, during the partition of the Sub-continent, the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) which comprised Muslim majority decided to join Pakistan. But, Dogra Raja, Sir Hari Singh, a Hindu who was ruling over the J&K in collusion with the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Governor General Lord Mountbatten joined India.

The Radcliffe Boundary Award gave the Gurdaspur District—a majority Muslim area to India to provide a land route to the Indian armed forces to move into the J&K.

Indian forces invaded Srinagar on October, 27 1947 and forcibly occupied the J&K in utter violation of the partition plan.

When Pakistan responded militarily, on December 31, 1947, India made an appeal to the UN Security Council to intervene and a ceasefire ultimately came into effect on January 01, 1949, following UN resolutions calling for a plebiscite in Kashmir.

The Security Council adopted resolution of April 21, 1948, which promised a plebiscite under UN auspices to enable the people to determine whether they wish to join Pakistan or India. On February 5, 1964, India backed out of its commitment of holding plebiscite. Instead, Indian Parliament declared Kashmir-an integral part of the Indian union.

It is mentionable that since 1989, various forms of state terrorism have been part of a deliberate campaign by the Indian army and paramilitary forces against Muslim Kashmiris. It has been manifested in brutal tactics like crackdowns, curfews, illegal detentions, massacre, targeted killings, sieges, burning the houses, torture, disappearances, rape, breaking the legs, molestation of Muslim women and killings in fake encounters. However, since 1989, Kashmiris have already been enduring various forms of state terrorism; no Indian soldier has ever been taken to task. Hence, since the military clampdown started, Indian forces have intensified the employment of cruel tactics. Almost 100,000 Kashmiris have died in the past 33 years.

Indian forces have been also availing such draconian laws as Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the Public Safety Act (PSA) etc. in martyring the Kashmiri people, and for arbitrarily arresting any individual indefinitely.

The regime has also sent gangs of RSS-BJP volunteers to be permanently stationed in the occupied Kashmir.

Despite the use of chemical weapons, pellet guns and phosphorus bombs, Kashmiris have accelerated the war of liberation for their legitimate right of self-determination as recognized by the related UN resolutions.

Western media, human rights groups, leaders of various countries and the UN have repeatedly condemned Indian illegal measures and human rights abuses which keep going on in Held Kashmir.

A year after India abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, UN human rights experts on 4 August 2020 called on India and the international community to take urgent action to address the “alarming human rights situation in Kashmir…to investigate all cases of human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and arbitrary detentions.”

Amnesty International also said on 29 September 2020 that it is “stopping its work in India because the government has frozen its bank accounts” on September 10 for highlighting rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir”.

In the recent past, the UN Security Council in its meetings has thrice reiterated that the Kashmir issue requires to be settled in accordance with the principles of the UN charter and the related Security Council resolutions, as the world has refused to believe in the Indian story that its actions in the Held Kashmir are its internal matter.

In the recent past, the UN General Assembly has adopted a Pakistan-sponsored resolution on “Universal Realization of the Right of the People to Self-determination with the consensus of 72 countries. On this day, special transmissions were broadcasted on Pakistan’s media to highlight the Kashmir cause.

Nevertheless, the current situation is the worst in recent history, as through endless illegal and unilateral steps, Modi’s government has created an environment of fear and chaos for the Kashmiris.

Kashmir has become the world’s largest prison, and the most militarized zone on earth. In this respect, Pakistanis and Kashmiris abroad also highlighted Indian atrocities and continued struggle for the Kashmiris’ legitimate right of self-determination at various international forums, emphasizing the Kashmir issue should be resolved in accordance with the related UN resolutions.

Nonetheless, the 5th of February is being observed as the Kashmir Solidarity Day to pay homage to Kashmiri martyrs and to show solidarity with the freedom fighters who continue war of liberation, demanding their legitimate right of self-determination, as recognized by the UN resolutions.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com