Freedom movement in Occupied Kashmir
By Afzal Hussain
Burhan Wani became a freedom fighter
at the age of 15 after he was assaulted and humiliated (for no reason) by
Indian forces,
The recent gigantic protests against
Indian aggression in occupied Kashmir have obligated the Indian establishment
to impose an indefinite curfew in most parts of occupied Kashmir. It all
started a day after Indian forces killed
(martyred) well-known young freedom fighter Burhan Wani( Allegedly killed in a
gunfight), who had become an icon of freedom movement against Indian
oppression. In occupied Kashmir, freedom supporters responded by taking to the
streets, painting slogans on shuttered shop fronts, praising Burhan Wani and
demanding Indian forces to leave Kashmir (slogans such as “Go India! Go back via peaceful Kashmiris ” and
“we want freedom”). According to media reports, mosques across the occupied valley also
disseminated pro-Pakistan slogans and urged local youth to join struggle
against Indian occupation.
The
Indian occupant forces have unleashed a wave of state-sponsored terrorism
against the peaceful protesters (death toll raises to 40, as protesters defy the curfew and
almost 500 people are injured); consequently, the protesters became violent. The
imposition of a curfew and the deactivating of internet and mobile phone networks
have not been sufficient to stop the ongoing protests. Therefore, rail
services, workplaces, school examinations and a large Hindu pilgrimage to Amarnath
temple have been suspended because of the current situation. Burhan Wani became
a freedom fighter at the age of 15 after he was assaulted and humiliated (for no
reason) by Indian forces, according to his father, Muzaffar Wani. Ïf he dies
for his self-respect and his people, he will be a martyr,” his father told
media personal in 2014.
Burhan Wani was particularly active on social media and did
not hide his identity. His video messages related to freedom movement, would
often go viral in occupied Kashmir, were on the topics of Indian injustice, and
the need for young Kashmiri people to stand up against Indian Oppression.
Recently, in one his video messages, he had warned local police of
consequences, if they continued to
resist the freedom movement.
As per United Nations Security Council resolutions, Kashmir
is a disputed territory and the right to self-determination, through a fair and
impartial plebiscite under UN auspices was promised to the people of Jummu and
Kashmir. It has almost been seven decades that UN an India promised a fair and
impartial plebiscite to resolve the Kashmir dispute. But India is delaying to
address the inevitable question of plebiscite. The absence of meaningful
political engagement to resolve the Kashmir dispute, through a fair and
impartial plebiscite, is setting a new political discourse and militancy has
gained legitimacy among young people who believe India is ignoring ground
realities in occupied Kashmir.
Therefore, innocent people of Kashmir have no other option except to rekindle the
indigenous freedom struggle to attain liberation form India (Principle of necessity).
The recent series of protests have exemplified the ground
reality that an overwhelming majority of people in occupied Kashmir wast
accession to Paksitan. Kashmir is an unfinished agaenda of partition of the subcontinent.
The founding father of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah Said: “Kashmir
is jugular vein of Pakistan.” Pakistan has
always maintained that the only peaceful solution of Kashmir dispute is through
a fair and Impartial plebiscite under UN auspices.
In current state of affairs, Pakistan explicitly
Stated that the ‘extrajudicial killing’ of Burhan Wani and other innocent
Kashmiris is deplorable and condemnable. Prime minister Nawaz Sharif Expressed
his ‘Deep shock’ over the killing of Burhan Wani and other civilians by the
Indian forces. He said: “it is deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was
used against the civilians who were protesting against the killing of Burhan
Wani”.
Chief of Army Staff General Rehaeel
Shraif urged the world to recognise the aspirations of Kashmiri people, their
struggle for freedom and help resolve the long standing dispute for permanent
peace in Kashmir and enduring harmony in the region. Advisor to Prime Minister
on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz pledged to raise voice against Indian brutality
in Kashmir at International forum. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Ambassador Nafees Zakariya said regarding the recent happenings in occupied
Kashmir that such acts were a “violation of fundamental human rights of
Kashmiris” and “cannot deter the people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand
for the realisation of the right to self-determination.” Ambassador Zakariya
also called upon the Indian government to fulfil its human Rights obligations
as well as its commitments under the United Nations Security council
resolution.
The recent condition in occupied Kashmir
indicates two things. Firstly, the situation in occupied Kashmir is extremely volatile
due to an overpowering desire in overwhelming majority of Kashmiris to attain
liberation from Indian occupation and secondly, Indian state is all-out to
crush the lawful freedom struggle by using brutal force. Therefore, in these
challenging times, Pakistan must extend its all-out political, moral and
diplomatic support to the Kashmiris. It is time to tell the world that
Kashmiris are not terrorists. In reality, Kashmiris are victims of Indian
state-sponsored terrorism.
The movement in Kashmir is for gaining
the right of self-determination, which was promised to the people of Jammu and
Kashmir by India and United Nations. Therefore, the freedom movement in Indian
occupied Kashmir is lawful. Indian has adopted and obnoxious policy of using
indiscriminate force to undermine the indigenous freedom movement in occupied
Kashmir. Indian nefarious policy has endangered the peace in south Asia. It is
also a grave threat to the world pace with particular emphasis on the fact that
both India and Pakistan are only demanding human rights, which unfortunately,
have been denied to them. Times have changed! have been denied to them. Time
have changed! Mark my words. “Burhan Wani Will keep Haunting the Indian State
from his grave”.
The writer is a Barrister based in
Islamabad.
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