Kashmiris to observe January 5 as Right to Self-Determination Day: APHC
Srinagar: All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has announced that Kashmiris will observe January 5 as the Right to Self-Determination Day to remind the international community, particularly the United Nations, of its responsibility to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas in a press statement in Srinagar, stated that on January 5, Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the globe will hold protests, rallies, and seminars to mark the day. He emphasized that the unresolved Kashmir issue remains a significant question mark on the credibility of the United Nations. He further asserted that if the global body seeks to restore its credibility, it must take immediate and decisive action to implement its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
He stated that January 5, 1949, marks the adoption of a historic resolution by the United Nations Security Council, which called for a free and impartial plebiscite to determine the future of Jammu and Kashmir, allowing the people of the region to decide whether to accede to India or Pakistan. Despite the passage of over seven decades, Kashmiri people have not been granted their right to self-determination.
The statement condemned the lack of concrete steps by the United Nations to implement its own resolutions, which has led to the Indian government’s continued use of military force to suppress the Kashmiri people’s just struggle for freedom. It was also highlighted that over one million Indian military personnel are stationed in the region, turning Kashmir into an open-air prison and subjecting unarmed Kashmiris to rampant violence and killings.
The Hurriyat spokesperson expressed concern over the rising brutality of the Indian government, particularly after August 5, 2019, when the BJP-led government, supported by the RSS, revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. This period has seen unprecedented levels of oppression, with the Indian government using Israeli-style tactics to impose its Hindutva agenda in the region.
The statement further highlighted the issuance of domicile certificates to thousands of non-Kashmiri Hindus and the permission granted to them to purchase land in the occupied territory. This is an attempt to alter the demographic composition of the region, weaken its Muslim-majority identity, and undermine its unique culture.
The APHC spokesperson urged Kashmiri and Pakistani communities worldwide to stage large-scale protests in their respective countries to draw the world’s attention to the Kashmir issue. The statement also called on the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take meaningful steps towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
