No peace possible without Kashmir settlement: Civil society activists
#NoPeaceSansKashmirSettlement
Srinagar: Srinagar-based civil society activists have asserted that durable peace and stability in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir cannot be achieved without granting the people of Kashmir their internationally recognized right to self-determination.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the activists in their statements said that normalcy and peace in the occupied territory are directly linked to addressing the core political dispute rather than projecting superficial development narratives. They emphasized that Kashmir’s challenges are not about infrastructure or cosmetic projects but about fulfilling the political aspirations of its people.
The activists maintained that the Modi regime cannot hide ground realities through what they described as a vast propaganda machinery. They said that Indian authorities are publishing fabricated reports of so-called peace and development to mislead the international community into believing that stability has returned to the region.
They further said that following the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, New Delhi has been attempting to portray the situation as the beginning of a new era of development, while, in reality, the territory has been turned into a military garrison to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
The civil society representatives stated that Indian obduracy continues to impede efforts to resolve the Kashmir dispute and bring sustainable peace to South Asia. They reiterated that lasting peace in the region would remain elusive until the Kashmir issue is resolved in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
