DFP draws UN chief’s urgent attention to rapidly worsening situation in IIOJK
Islamabad: The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) has drawn urgent attention of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the rapidly worsening political and human rights situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, DFP Acting Chairman Mehmood Ahmad Saghar in a letter addressed to the UN chief highlighted the ongoing human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and collective punishment of civilians by Indian forces.
He expressed grave concern over the Indian government’s policies of demographic change, marginalization of the majority community, and the silencing of dissent through repressive laws and misuse of the judiciary.
The DFP emphasized that the BJP-led government’s actions amount to settler colonialism and aim to erase Kashmir’s political identity. The letter reaffirmed the Kashmiri people’s demand for the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions that guarantee their right to self-determination through a free and fair plebiscite.
Saghar urged the United Nations to take immediate and effective notice of the situation and to play a decisive role in resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute in accordance with international law and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Following is the full text of the letter:
“Mr Antonio Gutters
The Secretary General
United Nations Organization (UNO)
New York,
Washington DC
Subject: Fast deteriorating political and human rights situation in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoK)
Excellency,
With reference to the subject cited above I, on behalf of my party, wish to seek your urgent attention towards the stepped-up human rights violations by the Indian forces in the Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir (IoK) where ruthless killings of civilians, arbitrary arrests of youth and detention of political and rights activists continue unabated.
Excellency,
Amidst continued bloodshed and violence, suppression of dissent, confinement and seizure of civilian properties, termination of government employees on flimsy grounds, economic exploitation and marginalization of the majority community remain a hallmark of India’s present day government’s policy to coerce Kashmiris into submission.
On the one hand, killing of youth in fake encounters, cordons and search operations go unabated, while on the other hand social and political life remains critically suppressed in the region particularly in Kashmir Valley where essential fundamental freedoms such as right to peaceful assembly, right to freedom of opinion and expression and right to peaceful protest remain largely suspended.
Thousands of Kashmiris including politicians, social activists, academicians, intellectuals, businessmen, journalists have been booked under “sedition laws” and thrown behind the bars just for raising their voice against the injustices meted out to the people of Kashmir.
Excellency,
DFP is deeply concerned over:
a. The Indian government’s settler colonialism policies that seek to control, by any means, all of Kashmir, its land, people and resources.
b. Use of judiciary and other repressive state apparatus to enable complete silence in Kashmir by choking every voice of dissent.
c. A massive and multi-front political, cultural and constitutional onslaught aimed at altering the region’s demography and turning the majority community into a minority.
The BJP’s policies in Kashmir have been shaped by its ideology, which emphasizes national integration and security. The party’s approach to handling dissent has been criticized for being heavy-handed, with allegations of human rights abuses and restrictions on free speech. However, these policies have been met with resistance from Kashmiris who demand implementation of the UNSC resolutions that besides acknowledging their fundamental right to self-determination call for holding a referendum to allow them determine their political future freely.
Kashmir—an age-old dispute—needs to be resolved peacefully in line with the UNSC resolutions, which provide a comprehensive road-map for the resolution of the lingering conflict. Sadly, the Indian government’s attempts to wipe out Kashmiris, by any means, is reflected in its silent war in Kashmir.
Excellency,
In view of the aforementioned situation, we appeal to your Excellency to take effective notice of the situation in the held territory and play your much needed role in resolving the lingering dispute of Kashmir that happens to be the main cause and consequence of rights violations in the region.”
With profound regards
Mehmood Ahmed Saghar,
Acting Chairman,
Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party.
