Today’s (5th August 2020) meeting of the UN Security Council is a part of a series of steps that my Government has taken, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, to address the fast deteriorating security, economic and social conditions of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the aftermath of the Indian unilateral, and illegal actions of 5 August 2019.
It is my profound honour to share with you that today, at Pakistan’s request; the UN Security Council discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir for the third time in a year.
We are grateful to all the members of the UN Security Council, especially China for their support in organizing the meeting in the Council. There is no doubt that India took desperate attempts to prevent this discussion and when this could not be prevented, then Indians have gone to the absurd length to minimize the importance and significance of the meeting.
As such the reality is that India failed to convince the Council that Jammu and Kashmir is a ‘bilateral issue’ - a mantra that its ideological and expansionist-driven leadership can no longer hide behind the so called ‘Shining India’.
The meeting was held on 5thAugust, the day Pakistan was marking the Youm-e-Istehsal (Day of Siege) of India’s illegal measures in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), signifies the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an international dispute firmly on the agenda of the Security Council and has nullified, yet another time, the Indian self-serving claim that it is an ‘internal matter’.
The UN Security Council convened this meeting within 72 hours of Pakistan’s request, has reaffirmed the validity of its resolutions that the final disposition of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute will be made through a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations.
I would like to remind India that through its sophistry and obfuscation, it cannot create a smokescreen for unilateral and illegal actions in IIOJ&K taken since 5 August 2019.
In my letter to the President of the UN Security Council, I apprised the Council of the serious threat to international peace and security resulting from Indian belligerent posturing against Pakistan; its gross and systematic human rights violations in IIOJ&K; and its introduction of a series of new ‘domicile rules’ to open up gates for ‘demographic flooding’ in IIOJ&K.
Along with my letter, Pakistan also circulated two comprehensive papers on the legal aspects of the dispute and the egregious human rights violations in IIOJ&K, as official documents of the Security Council.
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our fears have come true. India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 were aimed at altering the demography of IIOJ&K, in violation of several UN Security Council resolutions and international law, in particular 4th Geneva Convention.
The current military siege of IIOJ&K by the Indian occupation forces and its belligerent posturing against Pakistan has resulted in increased number of cease fire violations across Line of Control (LoC), which pose a serious threat to peace and security in South Asia and beyond.
Led by ‘Hindutva’ ideology, RSS-BJP accolades are resorting to war-mongering attitude towards all their neighbouring countries; threatening to use force; committing massive violations of human rights in IIOJ&K; and marginalizing Muslim population, to quash freedom movement.
It is deplorable that the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) remains unabated. Indian Government has imposed curfew while putting restrictions on freedom of movement and communications. Extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and incarcerations remain human shield for the Indian occupation forces to camouflage their heinous crimes.
The UN Secretariat and UNMOGIP representatives also briefed the Council on the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Council members, the meeting confirmed that the overall security situation is tense. Human rights concerns were expressed, particularly with regards to India’s continued oppression in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, as well as attempts to change its demography. The need to strengthen UNMOGIP, which is facing challenges especially due to non-cooperation by India, was also underscored.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Youm-e-Istehsal is a Day of Siege when Indian occupation forces re-invaded and re-occupied parts of Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August 2019.
That sinister move by India to ‘massively export’ Hindus from India to IIOJ&K was to alter demography of the IIOJ&K and to make Kashmiris ‘alien’ in their own homeland.
Ever-since, Indian forces have resorted to brutal use of force. It has deployed 900,000 troops to incarcerate 8 million unarmed Kashmiris.
All freedom leaders are under illegal detention.
Concentration camps have been established in order to dissuade Kashmiris from their ‘quest for liberty’.
The scale at which India is committing gross and systematic violations of human rights constitutes crime against humanity and war crimes.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yesterday, more than 20 UN Human Rights Experts in Geneva called on India to take urgent actions to resolve the situation in IIOJ&K; meet its obligations to investigate historic and recent cases of human rights violations; and prevent future violations.
The international media and other human rights watch dogs have also unequivocally condemned the fresh wave of clampdown, curfew, sweeping curbs on movements and communications and arbitrary detention of the Kashmiri leadership in the IIOJ&K.
It is high time that the international community should exercise its moral, legal and political authority to call out India to reverse the tide of impunity and stop genocide of the Kashmiri people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Pakistan is gratified that the Security Council has once again considered the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
We call upon India to reverse its unilateral actions of 5 August 2019; stop human rights and ceasefire violations; remove restriction on communications, movement and peaceful assembly; immediately release Kashmiri leadership; undo ‘domicile rules’ designed to change the demographic structure of the IIOJ&K; implement UN Security Council resolutions; and refrain from threat of use of force against its neighbouring countries.
On the occasion of Youm-e-Istehsal, I would like to address my dear brothers and sisters in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) and want to reassure them that Pakistan will continue to serve as your voice across the world.
The Government of Pakistan and its people salute Kashmiri resistance and their sacrifices, which will come to fruition sooner than later.
On this day, let me also recall a famous saying by a political-philosopher who once said against all odds “the arch of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”.
In the same vein, the Kashmiris’ resilience continues to evolve with even stronger determination, courage and conviction that, the dark night of occupation, however long, will eventually end-up with the dawn of “Azadi”.
Until then, Pakistan stands resolutely with the Kashmiris for the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination.
