Pakistan condemns slaughtering of over 11 innocents in IOK

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemns the brutal and indiscriminate use of force by the Indian occupation forces that has resulted in the martyrdom of at least 11 young innocent Kashmiris in different incidents in Shopian and Anantnag regions of the Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) on Sunday.

According to an official statement, there are reports of ongoing brutal crackdown, especially with the use of pellet guns on protestors, including youth and children and the suspension of internet services, in an attempt to subjugate and further repress the innocent Kashmiris.

This mindless killing spree exposes, yet again, the ugly, ‘inhuman’ face of the State-terrorism that India has been perpetrating against the Kashmiris for decades. We have repeatedly pointed out that the Kashmiri youth is being deliberately and systematically targeted with a view to breaking the will of the Kashmiri people.

However, such cowardly actions of the occupying forces only serve to fortify the resolve of the Kashmiri people. The brave and resilient people of the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir have demonstrated, again and again, that no amount of repression including incarcerations, torture and extrajudicial killings could deter them from pursuing the inalienable right to self-determination.

Nor could any amount of Indian propaganda to paint the legitimate and indigenous Kashmiri struggle as ‘terrorism’ succeeded in misleading the world. Pakistan expresses its complete solidarity with the people of IOK.

We urge the international community to take cognisance of the gross and systematic violations of fundamental human rights, including the most basic human right to life, taking place in the IOK and use its influence with India to bring an end to the shameful culture of impunity that has been fostered there for several decades.

Pakistan also calls upon the world community to play its rightful role in promoting a just and lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant united nations (UN) security council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.