By Syed Raza Hassan
Today marks the 76th year of the Indian illegal occupation of the Jammu and Kashmir, the unresolved issue of the partition of the Sub-Continent in 1947, which poses a perpetual impediment in the normalization of the relations between Pakistan and India, the neighboring countries of South Asia.
The two nuclear armed states have fought at least two wars over Kashmir and several armed skirmishes after gaining independence from the British India.
The recent skirmish was in 2019, when according to a BBC report, Pakistan and India had come close to a nuclear conflagration in February 2019, according to new memoirs of former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pakistani government will draw international support for the Kashmir Black-day, it deserves. The government of Pakistan must raise the issue with usual vigor through diplomatic channels.
Kashmir Black-day
It was on October 27, 1947 when Indian forces illegally entered the Srinagar in contravention of the will of the local populace and continue to commit gross human rights violations till day without much condemnation by the world community. The event is also marked at all the Pakistani Missions across the world where Kashmir Black day is observed on October 27, at special events.
The Indian government which is hell bent upon the altering the composition of local Kashmiri population, revoked the special status of the Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on August 5, 2019 paving the way for the non-Kashmiri Indian population to buy property, obtain government jobs in Kashmir and settle down there.
On August 5, 2019, the Modi led Indian government through the Presidential orders revoked Article 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution which accorded a special autonomous status to Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Although, violation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir were already underway much before the introduction of the so-called Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act (2019), the August 5 events gave a legal cover to the Indian governments high-handed tactics in the occupied region.
India which once used to be known as biggest secular democracy in the World has now been reduced to Hindu extremist rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government which is changing the basic name of India. A special committee on education has suggested that from the next academic years, Bharat will be replaced India in all the text books.
The move came to prominence in recent G-20 Summit held in New Delhi when the invitation for dinner hosted by the President mentioned “The President of Bharat”, instead President of India.
Since then, there are strong speculations about a name change from India to Bharat, The Indian Express has reported. All these developments under the BJP led government have once again proved that founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, two nation theory was and still is very relevant and true.
In fact, the on-going persecution of Indian Muslims by BJP government is a living testament that how farsighted Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was.
As the Modi’s India is busy re-writing the history or in fact disfiguring the history, Pakistan must continue its relentless campaign to keep the Kashmir issue relevant in the modern-day history.
In when May 2023, when India held G-20 Summit in Kashmir, practically turning the valley into a silence of graveyard, UN’s special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernande de Varennes, said New Delhi was seeking to use the G-20 meeting to “portray an international seal of approval” on the situation that “should be decried and condemned”.
One can draw parallels between, India and Israel when it comes to Kashmir and occupied Palestinian territories. The difference is in the approach. India has been moving very slowly or in a calculated manner using legal means to reach its goals. Also, at the same time uses brute force on the local population. Israel is indulging in naked aggression to achieve its targets.
Both countries (India-Israel) share the role of aggressor upon the local population who are the real owners of the land. In today’s world, economic realities have superseded the morals and human rights. This is one of the realities where we see developing economic ties between several middle eastern countries and India.
As far as Pakistan is concerned it has to advance the cause of the disputed territory of Kashmir.
Pakistan must continue to focus on plight of Muhammad Yasin Malik in jail where he is reported to be suffering from ill-health. The Indian government who sees Malik as one of the few last remaining symbols of resistance to the Indian brute force in Jammu and Kashmir, is pushing for a death sentence for the liberation leader. Pakistan must keep the issue alive by issuing statements on Maliks heath on the diplomatic front.
