ISLAMABAD (Tribune) – Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said the ‘fascist’ policies of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had failed to “crush the spirit of Kashmiri resistance” in Muslim-majority Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir.
The prime minister’s tweet, on the occasion of Kashmir Day, emphasized that Pakistan stood united with its “Kashmiri brothers and sisters” and was committed to the “legitimate” Kashmiri struggle for self-determination.
Urging the world to take notice of grave human rights violations in the occupied valley, the premier said “India had committed crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocidal acts” in Kashmir and had perpetuated the “threat of forced demographic change”, all of which was in violation of the Geneva Conventions.
Imran Khan also reiterated that it was the international community’s responsibility to ensure an impartial plebiscite in Kashmir.
“The world must not ignore the plight of the people of Kashmir and their undeniable desire to free themselves from the Indian state’s draconian military occupation”, he said.
The Modi administration stripped the Indian-controlled Kashmir of its partial autonomy and divided the region into two federal territories on August 5, 2019. New Delhi then launched a massive security operation and communications blackout that lasted for months, arresting thousands of people and deploying thousands of extra troops to the disputed territory.
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their partition in 1947, with both countries claiming the region in full. The Indian side of the region has been the scene of constant clashes between government forces and armed groups seeking Kashmir’s independence or its merger with Pakistan.
Every year, Pakistan commemorates Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 to show Pakistan’s support and unity with the people of Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir.
India regularly accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants and allowing them across the restive frontier to launch attacks. Pakistan rejects the accusation.
India and Pakistan have fought four wars since their partition in 1947, three of them over Kashmir.