India occupation forces have turned Kashmir into a killing field says Wani

Thanks Pakistan for raising Kashmir at UNHRC

Islamabad: Veteran Hurriyat leader and senior vice Chairman Jammu Kashmir National Front (JKNF) Altaf Hussain Wani has expressed grave concern over the stepped up human rights violations and wanton killing of Kashmiri youth by the Indian occupation forces in held Kashmir.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, the JKNF leader said, “The trigger happy Indian occupation forces deployed in length and breadth of the valley have turned the restive region into a killing field where innocent civilians are being killed ruthlessly day in and day out”.

Referring to recent incidents of Indian state terrorism Altaf Hussain Wani said, “The killing of Kashmiri youths has become a new norm for occupation forces who enjoy a culture of impunity under various black laws enforced in the disputed territory”. He pointed out that the exemption from prosecution provided to military personnel under a regime of black laws was a major source of rampant rights violations in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Citing the incidents of violence and vandalizing of public properties by the Indian occupation forces Mr Wani said, “The people of Kashmir who have endured seven-month long suffocating military siege and information blockade are now being subjected to collective punishment by India”. At a time when civilized world is hectically engaged in a war against COVID-19 he berated that the so-called world’s largest democracy (India) was remorselessly hatching conspiracy to subjugate Kashmiris who have rejected the India’s imperialistic agenda and its nefarious scheme aimed at reducing Muslims into a minority. He said that it was unfortunate to see that Corona-virus has become a new tool for the occupation authorities to persecute Kashmiris. Referring to a news report Wani said that India army has been haunting corona-affected patients in the valley by using their phone records, ATM histories and other information, which he said was an infringement of the fundamental rights of the people. He said that this intensive surveillance was being practiced by the occupation authorities under the garb of Corona pandemic despite the fact no law allows them to do so. He regrettably noted that the woes of Kashmiris who are caught between pandemic and a militaristic state have further multiplied especially after 5th August 2019 when India stripped the region from its autonomous status by resorting to constitutional terrorism. He said that arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings and never-ending house searches, military crackdowns and nocturnal raids by Indian army have made the life of Kashmiris a living hell.

In order to divert the world attention away from the simmering situation in the held territory the JKNF leader said that India has deliberately escalated tensions on the line of control (LoC). Denouncing Indian aggressive designs Wani said, “As the world is grappling with Corona pandemic India, instead of joining the civilized world to fight this deadly epidemic, has recklessly chosen to execute its wicked plan to destroy properties and kill innocent civilians on the line of control”. Terming Indian aggression against civilian population as a flagrant violation of international law the JKNF leader urged the international community to take serious notice of the situation in the region.

Wani also thanked Pakistan for highlighting the plight of Kashmiris at the UN human rights council saying that it was high time that the world should take effective notice of the situation and help resolve the lingering dispute peacefully.

Demanding immediate release of Kashmiri political prisoners, Mr. Wani also expressed his gratitude to the international human rights organizations that have raised their voice for the release of these prisoners.