Shujaat Hamza

ISLAMABAD: The Jammu and Kashmir Peace and Justice Forum (JKPJF) on Sunday invited the attention of Secretary General United Nations, Antonio Guterres towards resolution of a longstanding Kashmir dispute, which has been a constant threat to peace, stability and security of the South Asian region.

In a letter addressed to the Guterres, the JKPJF said that the people of Jammu Kashmir have been struggling for getting their inalienable and inevitable right to self-determination, promised to them by India, Pakistan, and the international community.

“However, despite honoring its pledge made to Kashmiris and international community by creating an environment conducive to implement United Nations (UN) resolutions, India waged a continuous war against the unarmed civilian population of Jammu Kashmir,” it added.

Moreover, unabated torture and killings, arbitrary arrests, custodial killings, sexual harassment and assaults, and continued persecution of the civilian population, mostly youngsters, by the Indian forces have become a routine affair in the Indian held territory.

The letter also drew attention of the UN Secretary General towards the Indian designs to change demography of the state, saying that India recently took rapid measures to erode the status of the state and change its demography.

“The actions of the Indian government in Jammu Kashmir are not merely the violation of UN resolutions; it’s also the worst form of persecution of humans and their rights,” the letter said adding that such acts were constant sources of agony, pain, and stress for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

It apprised the UN Secretary General that India was emerging as a ruthless enemy of humanity in South Asian region while the designs of extremist Hindutva ideology and biased mindset of present Indian leadership not only poses a threat to the people of Jammu Kashmir but to the minorities in India and global peace as well.

Under these circumstances, it adds, it was responsibility of the United Nations and other international human rights, peace, and justice organizations to coerce Indian government to take immediate steps to ensure respect to the inalienable human rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.