Kashmiris are scripting a new history of resistance and bravery: Speakers

ISLAMABAD, Oct 25 (SABAH): Speakers at a seminar organized by Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) while paying eulogizing tributes to Kashmiris for their decades long struggle and sacrifices have said that the people of Kashmir have been scripting a new history of resistance that will continue to inspire those who believe in freedom, justice and equality.

The seminar held to mark Kashmiris’ resilience against 75 years of India’s illegal occupation was attended and addressed by Kashmiri leaders hailing from both sides of the line of control including KIIR chairman Altaf Hussain Wani, Sardar Atique Ahmed Khan, former AJK Prime Minister. Ms. Massrat Zahra MNA , Shah Ghulam Qadir, President PML-N Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Bloch, Ershad Madmood  Executive Director CPDR, Mrs Shamim Shwal, senior APHC leader, Youth Activist Shahzad Khan, patriot singer Zuhaib Zaman and others.

Addressing on the seminar which was followed by a song release, the speakers while highlighting the woeful plight of Kashmiris said, “Over the past 75 years, the people of the Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir have been braving the brunt of repression at the hands of world’s third largest army backed by draconian laws”.

Voicing their serious concerns over the rising incidents of state terrorism and human rights violations committed by the Indian forces, they said that the people of the UN recognised disputed territory continue to bleed profusely under India’s belligerent occupation. “It will be a travesty of justice on the part of the international community to leave the hapless Kashmiris at the mercy of India’s ruthless occupation”, they said adding that the belligerent occupation that has now virtually moved from Wolfe’s first to second model of colonialism 

Kashmiris, they said, have terribly suffered by the India’s barbaric aggression, both in terms of loss of human life and material devastation. “The Indian belligerence has left no facet of life unaffected in the region”, they said adding that the political and human rights situation in the region has further worsened since India’s racist regime took a unilateral decision to annex the territory into Indian union on 5th August 2019.

“Since then social, political and economic life remains critically suppressed in the valley”, they said adding that the Modi government’s massive and multifront socio, political and cultural onslaught against the indigenous population and its ultranationalist policies have pushed the region deeper into a quagmire of uncertainty, chaos and lawlessness.

“Peoples’ fundamental freedoms such as right to freedom of speech and expression, right to peaceful assembly and right to peaceful protest remain strictly prohibited. Illegal imprisonment of political activists under sedition laws, and a witch-hunt against civil society, rights activists and journalists goes unabated”, they noted.

Referring to the macabre tale of war and destruction in Kashmir, they said that it was very unfortunate that the India views settler colonialism as the only and final solution to the Kashmir dispute. “This crooked mindset of the Indian rulers has led to further marginalization of majority population in Kashmir and the imperialistic policies such as landgrab, extermination of the locals, forced evictions, exploitation of natural resources, rampant aggression, killings, arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings, forced disappearances and systematic genocide of the Kashmiri youth by the Indian forces”, they added.

They said that India’s present day mass radicalization, intolerance and extremism has now emerged as a grave threat to regional peace and stability.

Urging the global community to take notice of this new scourge of racism as well as the continued conflict in the Himalayan region they said that it was high time that the world should play its due role to resolve the lingering dispute that besides consuming three generations of the Kashmiris has been a major cause of unrest and tension in South Asia.

Patriot Singer’s News national song on Kashmir Was released on the occasions, addressing the youth of Pakistan and AJK Zuhaib Zaman called on youth to use their energies to raise the voice for oppressed but resilient people of Kashmir.