ISLAMABAD, Aug 2 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Friday strongly condemned the Indian governments’ attempt to change demographics of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) thorough its constitutional provision.
Addressing a press conference, here, Masood said through these measures, such as its endeavour to define (or redefine) the permanent residency of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, India was openly violating numerous United Nations (UN) resolutions on Kashmir.
He urged the International community to take serious notice over this matter as changes in demographics of IoK was a grave violation of international humanitarian law and can amount to serious war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
Any protections taken away from the Kashmiri people would seriously compromise the right to self-determination and human rights of the Kashmiri people. It would also alter status quo over Kashmir, violating Pakistan’s due process and international legal rights as a recognised state party to Kashmir dispute, he maintained.
“Under Article 49 of Geneva Convention IV (1949), “the occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” he said.
Criticizing the Indian government policies over occupied Kashmir, he said, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (ruling party in India) wants to achieve their nefarious designs through setting up townships for Kashmiri Pandits or via establishment of Sainik colonies to permanently settle Indian soldiers displacing local Kashmiri residents.
AJK President said, the panic has gripped over occupied valley since last week after Unite States President Donald Trump’s mediation offer on Kashmir dispute and Indian government has deployed at least 10,000 more soldiers to one of the world’s highest militarized areas.
“It was a serious and insidious attempt to destroy culture and identity of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan must actively raise India’s violation at all international levels, legally and diplomatically”, he added.
He appealed the US as well as Indian civil society members to play their due role for agreeing India to respond positivity on Kashmir cause.
“We are ready to negotiate with India and International community, wherever they want to come in Delhi or in Islamabad or any other place at every level for resolving this long standing issue,” he said.
He welcomed the US President Donald Trump’s renewed offer to mediate on Kashmir issue.
