Brescia, Italy: President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan has strongly condemned killing by Indian occupation forces of 6 innocent civilians in Shopian, and subsequent lockdowns and crackdowns in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Speaking on the recent killings taking place in IOK, the President said, “Six young civilian men were gunned down in cold blood and now they are being called militants. India has flouted international humanitarian laws applicable in the conflict situations which prohibits the killing of non-combatants. India has once again committed a heinous war crime.”
The President made these remarks during his two-day official visit to Italy while addressing various events in the cities of Brescia, Bergamo, and Cremona organized by the Pakistani-Kashmiri community-based in the administrative region of Lombardy.
President Masood Khan said that India’s draconian black laws – the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act – empower occupation forces to commit such war crimes with impunity. India, the President said, must be held accountable by the UN Security Council, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the Human Rights Council.
The President said that India by using unbridled brute force has denied the unarmed innocent Kashmiris their right to self-defense and instead demonized their indigenous freedom struggle as acts of terrorism and labeling the defenseless protestors as terrorists. Emphasising the fact that there was no terrorism in IOK, the President said, “The Kashmiris are the most unarmed populace on the face of the earth and are leading a peaceful unarmed struggle for their right to self-determination which had been guaranteed under the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. The only terrorism in IOK is the state terrorism under the patronage of Delhi.”
President Masood Khan said that IOK is the most heavily militarized territory in the world, with over 700,000 actively deployed Indian army personnel. Indian occupation forces are openly torturing the local population in IOK by murdering peaceful Kashmiris, harassing the Hurriyat leadership, using lethal pellet guns, transforming the demography of Muslim populated areas, illegally incarcerating innocent protestors and dishonoring womenfolk.
During his interaction at the community events, the President complimented the Pakistani-Kashmiri community-based in Italy for their commitment and resolute struggle for the cause of Kashmir; especially commending their efforts in closing their ranks and forging unity.
President AJK urged the community members to send letters and other communications to their local representatives, the Italian Parliament and Parliamentarians regarding the human rights situation in the Occupied Kashmir. He further said that the Italian Members of the European Parliament must also be requested to raise the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and highlight the gross human right violations taking place in IOK at the European Parliament and other European Union institutions. He said that we must utilize all communication resources including the social media in raising the profile of this issue at the UN and other international forums.
Lauding the successes of the Pakistan-Kashmir diaspora community, President AJK urged them to continue working for a stronger and prosperous Pakistan because only a strong Pakistan can guarantee the realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The President Azad Kashmir thanked the people and Government of Pakistan for its continued moral, political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiris.
Condemning India’s incessant violations of the line of control (LoC) resulting in deaths and serious injuries of civilians, as well as the destruction of properties and livestock, the President said that targeting unarmed combatants is a violation of international conventions and laws. “These violations must end, and India should display restraint and abide by the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement”, he said.
Paying tribute to the valiant civilians living along the LoC, the President assured his audience that the issues concerning compensation to the people living near the LoC and relocation of some of the population exposed to extremely dangerous zones are being addressed.
President Masood Khan also apprised the community members of the initiatives being taken for the economic development of Azad Kashmir and completion of the projects for the welfare of the people. He highlighted that various projects in infrastructure, energy production, health, education, tourism, industry and municipal services were in various stages of implementation and completion.
The President said that AJK is passing through a new phase of economic development as it is now a formal part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He added that 4 projects under CPEC have been earmarked for AJK which include 2 Hydropower projects, a Specialized Industrial Zone in Mirpur and an Expressway – Mansehra to Mirpur – connecting all districts of AJK to the CPEC main route. There is also a huge potential for local and foreign investment in the extractive and tourism industry of AJK, he said.
President Sardar Masood Khan also visited the Provincial Assembly at Cremona and met a delegation of lawmakers led by Rosita Viola. Also, he held a separate meeting with Senator Paolo Bodini from the region. Later in the day, the President was received by the Mr. Emilio Del Bono, Mayor of Brescia at his office.
In his exchange of views with the Italian lawmakers and other interlocutors, the President said that Pakistan and Italy enjoyed excellent relations and work closely on various issues at the United Nations. The members of the Pakistan-Kashmir community in Italy, he said, are acting as Ambassadors between Pakistan and Italy building and strengthening diplomatic and social bridges between the two countries.
The President thanked them for giving the necessary political space to the Kashmiris and Pakistanis living in Italy to peacefully protest the Indian atrocities and human right violations. He said this speaks highly of the tolerance in the Italian society and their concern for protecting human dignity and rights.
The Italian lawmakers expressed their deep concern over human right violations in the IOK and said that they would like to see an end to the brutal repression. They said that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved in a just and lasting manner in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people and the UN Security Council resolutions.
During the visit, various delegations comprising of Pakistan Muslim League (N) representatives and office bearers called on the President Azad Kashmir. The President later addressed various gatherings organized by the PML (N) party workers.
Counsel General of Pakistan in Milan, Mr. Muhammad Nadeem Khan on the occasion of the visit hosted the President to a luncheon which was attended by prominent members of the Pakistani-Kashmiri diaspora community.
