Lockdown in Indian Occupied Kashmir: 52 days and still counting

In occupied Kashmir, normal life continues to get hit across the Valley for the 52nd consecutive day, today, as shops and business establishments are closed from Srinagar to as far as Uri town in Baramulla district in Kashmir and Muslim majority area of Doda in Jammu region.

All small and major sectors of life including business and commerce, education, transport, horticulture and tourism are virtually defunct with unprecedented communications blockade adding more to the prevailing uncertainty.

Schools, colleges and universities are either closed or remain empty as parents are reluctant to send their children to educational institutions amid military lockdown and communications blackout.

Indian forces randomly pick up youth at many places, severely thrash and beat them to create fear psychosis among the general masses.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Imran Khan met Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, Iranian leadership and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Italian counterpart, at the sidelines of 74th Session of the UNGA at New York.

The Prime Minister briefed the leaders on the plight of Kashmiris and the danger of a massacre in Occupied Kashmir.

Prime Minister thanked the Iranian leadership especially Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for expressing unequivocal support for the Kashmiri people and their legitimate rights

PM Imran also discussed the current situation in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir created by India‘s unilateral and illegal actions that pose a grave risk to regional peace and security.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was also briefed on the latest situation since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August to alter the disputed status of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Imran Khan said India’s efforts to change Occupied Kashmir’s demographic structure contravened numerous UN Security Council’s resolutions, international law and India’s own prior commitments.

He emphasized that the dire human rights and humanitarian situation in Occupied Kashmir posed grave risks for peace and security in the region.

Imran Khan has called for the immediate lifting of all restrictions including the curfew, release of all prisoners, stop in the use of pellet guns, and respect for the human rights of Kashmiri people.

PM briefed the Italian Prime Minister on the legal, humanitarian and peace and security dimensions of the situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

He also underlined the importance of the international community acting urgently to ward off threats to peace and security and facilitate peaceful resolution of the dispute in Jammu and Kashmir.