“Black Day” marked against Indian provocation of Kashmir

On 5 August 2019, the Government of India unilaterally revoked the special status, or autonomy, granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and occupied Kashmir—a region with a Muslim majority but administered by India as a state which consists of the larger part of Kashmir, which has been the subject of dispute among India, Pakistan, and China since 1947.

Kashmir is a recognized disputed territory by the United Nations. Several resolutions were passed to resolve the Kashmir issue by the United National Security Council (UNSC) yet pending for implementation for seven long decades. India has been delaying and denying to implement the UNSC resolutions by one or other delaying tactics.

Indian act of provocation on 5 August 2019 was an open violation of the UN charter and offensive against the parties concerned with Kashmir – China and Pakistan. It was against the bilateral agreements and all norms of the civilized world.

India has deployed almost one million troops to control the eight million innocent and unarmed population of Kashmir. The draconian laws enforced are to oppress the people of Kashmir. Troops are empowered to shot anyone or arrest anyone at any moment without any reason or justification. The media is bared to report the facts on grounds. Whole Kashmir is turned into a big jail as eight million people are under the siege of almost one million troops for two years. India has surpassed all the records of human rights violations ever happened in the history of humankind. The ruling party BJP is celebrating the day as conquering the Muslims, while the rest of the whole day is marking the day as “Black Day.”

Marking twenty-four months since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, the whole world honor the sacrifices of Kashmiris and salute their indomitable spirit in their just struggle for the inalienable right to self-determination. The UNSC grants the right of self-determination, and its resolutions are mandatory for India to implement.

In violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and of international law, India tried to obliterate the distinct identity of the Kashmiri people. India hoped that by attempting to alter demographic structure of Indian Illegally occupied Jammu  & Kashmir (IIOJK), it could dampen the spirit of the Kashmiri people or, at the very least, make them compromise on their legitimate right to self-determination. On both counts, India has abjectly failed. These steps were forcefully rejected by Pakistan, the Kashmiris, and the international community as well.

The unabated Indian repression including extra-judicial killings of innocent Kashmiris, unprecedented restrictions on freedom of speech, fake encounters, cordon-and-search operations, custodial torture and deaths, enforced disappearances, incarceration of Kashmiri leadership and youth, use of pellet guns, destruction and burning of houses, and other methods of subjugation have miserably failed to shake the resolve of the Kashmiri people.

The Jammu and Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan has been on the agenda of UN Security Council since 1948. It remains an internationally recognized dispute, the solution of which is firmly anchored in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions in accordance with the UN Charter and the wishes of the people of Kashmir.

Regrettably, India has not fulfilled its commitments to the UN Security Council, Pakistan, international community, and the Kashmiri people.

The international community, human rights organizations, international media, and civil society have called India out on its tyranny in the region. World leaders and Parliamentarians have expressed concern and shown their support for the Kashmiris.

More than 1.5 billion people of the region deserve to see the dawn of peace and prosperity, which has been held hostage to the gross and systematic violations of human rights in IIOJK.

Pakistan calls upon the international community to hold India accountable for its crimes against Kashmiris and demand that India reverse its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, revoke draconian laws, cease all human rights violations, and stop all human rights violations its state terrorism against the people of IIOJK.

We express complete solidarity with the people of IIOJK and assure our Kashmiri brothers and sisters that the Government and people of Pakistan stand united with them. Pakistan will not relent in its support until the Kashmiris realize their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.