NEW YORK, 25 SEP, (DNA) – Kashmiri and Pakistani community members were finalizing preparations for a big protest  demonstration outside the United Nations Building in New York on Monday when Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj took the stage to address the 71st United Nations General Assembly.

Billed as a Peaceful Protest, it’s organisers said the main objective of the demonstration was to draw attention to the brutalities inflicted on Kashmiri people by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir and to urge the international community to play its role in enabling gthe oppressed people to exercise their UN-pledged right of self-determination.

Sardar Sawar Khan, a former member of Azad Kashmir Council, said there has been an unprecedented use of force in occupied Kashmir as Indian troops were attempting to crush the popular movement for freedom from the India’s yoke.

The victims of Indian brutalities had no sanctuary, he said, adding even hospitals and medical personnel were under siege in Kashmir.

Over 100 civilians have been killed, more than 11,000 injured and 150 blinded by the deadly pellet guns used by the Indian troops since July 8, when youth leader Burhan Wani was assassinated. The intent of military forces was to kill, not injure.

Sawar Khan said a memorandum will be sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to intervene and put an end to the grave human rights violations in Kashmir as well as to implement UN resolutions for a plebiscite through the exercise by the Kashmir people of their right to self-determination.

He said Kashmiris from all over the United State would be coming to join the demonstration.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader in Azad Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, has already arrived in New York while prominent Kashmiri activist Ghulam Nabi Fai was reaching Sunday afternoon. =DNA