Virtual Parliamentary Kashmir Conference

India has turned Kashmir into a grave humanitarian tragedy: High Commissioner

India has turned Kashmir into a grave humanitarian tragedy through its illegal and unilateral actions since 05 August last year. This was stated by High Commissioner Moazzam Ahmad Khan while speaking at the “Virtual Parliamentary Kashmir Conference” organised by Jammu and Kashmir Self-Determination Movement International (JKSDMI) on 14 October 2020.

Governor Punjab Chaudhary Mohammed Sarwar was the chief guest at the conference. Debbie Abrahams MP, Chairperson APPG on Kashmir along with a large number of British parliamentarians participated in the conference. Besides, Kashmiri leaders and representatives of the human rights organisations were also in attendance. Raja Najabat Hussain, Chairman JKSDMI moderated the event.

Apprising the participants of the humanitarian crisis in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the High Commissioner said India is using all methods of subjugation including forced disappearances, incarceration, use of pellet guns, extra-judicial killings, and destruction of houses to break the will of the Kashmiris. He said India has introduced a series of new domicile rules to further disenfranchise the Kashmiri people by changing the demographics of IIOJK in clear violation of the Geneva Convention. However, all these tactics have only reaffirmed Kashmiris’ belief in their just cause of self-determination, added Mr Khan.

The High Commissioner shared with the participants that on 13 October 2020, Pakistan was re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council which reflects Pakistan’s commitment to upholding, promoting and safeguarding human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. He assured that Pakistan would continue to make all efforts to highlight gross human rights violations being perpetrated in IIOJK and elsewhere at the prestigious forum of UN Human Rights Council.

Condemning India for committing gross human rights abuses of the Kashmiri people, the speakers called upon the international community to play its due role in ending the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. They expressed serious concerns over deteriorating human rights conditions, particularly recent incidents of extra-judicial killings of the Kashmiri youth in fake encounters, as admitted by the Indian occupation forces themselves. The participants also cautioned India against changing the demography of IIOJK through issuing domiciles to non-Kashmiris which is a blatant violation of international law. They undertook to continue raising the voice for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination as promised to them in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.