ISLAMABAD: On the 2nd anniversary of Youm-e-Istihsal-e-Kashmir, a webinar was organised by the Consulate General & Trade Commission Pakistan, Sydney.

Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National Food Security and former chairman Kashmir Parliamentary Committee, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General Institute of Strategic Studies and former foreign secretary, and Dr Ali Sarfraz, President Kashmir Council of Australia were the speakers at the webinar. The webinar, moderated by Muhammad Ashraf, Consul General of Pakistan, Sydney, was attended by a large number of Pakistani Australian diaspora through Zoom, while the wider audience participated through the social media platforms of the Consulate, especially its Facebook page with more than 35,000 followers, where it was livestreamed.

Dr Ali Sarfraz informed the audience on the plight of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since the withdrawal of special status of IIOJK by the Indian government on 5th August 2019 and the ensuing lockdowns, curfews and communication blockade.

Aizaz stated that in the aftermath of 5th August 2019, India had created a mess for itself, which has not only rendered IIJOK more rather than less volatile for India, but also exposed the Indian state’s designs of implementation of Hindutva ideology espoused by RSS. It has created instability in the region, contracted the space for all minorities, especially the Muslims in India, and further eroded Indian democratic credentials in the international community, which is becoming increasingly concerned at the fascist leanings of the Indian government.

Syed Fakhar Imam stated that India wanted to become the overlord of the region and sadly the United States had decided to take India as a regional strategic partner in its bid to counterbalance China. The Indian state’s ethos has taken a complete volte face. The demographic engineering is being planned by settling 8 million non-Kashmiris in IIOJK and the Indian government preparing to purchase Kashmiri land through the Indian big business.

The Indian actions are blatantly illegal, and the world is increasingly becoming concerned at the deteriorating human rights situation in IIOJK.

During the Q&A session the audience discussed the possibility of reporting the Indian HR crimes in IIOJK to the International Court of Justice and leveraging the forum of OIC for increasing diplomatic pressure on India.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021