RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemned the killing of 11 Kashmiri youth in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir due to brutal use of force by Indian troops and urged international community to take notice of the gross and systematic violations of fundamental human rights in the IOK.

“Pakistan condemns the brutal and indiscriminate use of force by the Indian occupation forces that has resulted in the martyrdom of at least eleven young innocent Kashmiris in different incidents in Shopian and Anantnag in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) Sunday”, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said.

He said that there are also reports of continuing brutal crackdown, especially 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”, he said, adding that Pakistan has 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, he added.

He said that 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” succeed in misleading the world”, he added.

He also reiterated Pakistan’s full solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “We urge the international community to take cognizance of the gross and systematic violations of fundamental human rights, including the most basic human right to life, taking place in 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”, he said.

“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 UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people”, he added.

Meanwhile, reports coming from IOK claimed that the Indian troops in their fresh crackdown killed 13 youth and injured around 100 in Shopian and Islamabad districts on Sunday. Reports stated that the youth were killed during cordon and search operations, launched by Indian forces at Dagdard and Kachdoora areas of the two districts in South Kashmir while toll is likely to increase once the operation is over.