After UN picture issue, ‘pictures speak for Kashmir’ campaign launched

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The use of a Palestinian girl’s picture at UN by Pakistan has triggered a worldwide debate on pellet victims in Kashmir. Seizing on this opportunity, Kashmir activists have come up with a novel idea: the release of five verified, credible pictures every day for a month on social media as part of a campaign titled ‘Pictures Speak For Kashmir’.

These pictures, taken by photographers working on the ground in Indian-occupied Kashmir for known international news agencies, are verified, dated, and captioned, documenting Indian human rights violations in the international conflict of Kashmir.

The campaign has been launched by YFK, an international lobby group that unites young activists from Azad Kashmir, Indian-occupied Kashmir, Pakistan, India and the world. The group is focused on bringing peace to South Asia by resolving Kashmir conflict through the implementation of UN resolutions on a referendum in Kashmir.

Shaista Safi, a young activist from Baramulla, Indian-occupied Kashmir, and Ghulam Shabbir, a young activist from Pakistan, are leading the campaign.

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” said Shaista Safi, adding, “We saw how one picture created a global buzz when Permanent Representative of Pakistan to United Nations Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi triggered a debate at UNGA. To keep the momentum, YFK–International Kashmir Lobby Group (Youth Forum For Kashmir) launches a social media campaign called Pictures Speak For Kashmir.”

Shabbir said the campaign will run on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #KashmirPictures and urged all users and supporters worldwide to click on the hashtag and share the posts.