India breaks all records of atrocities, HR violations in IoK: Masood

PESHAWAR, Mar 28 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Thursday said India had broken all records of atrocities, extra judicial killings and human rights violations in then Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) and urged the world, including the United Nations, to take notice of the same.
Addressing ‘Meet the Press’ programme here at the Peshawar Press Club, Sardar Masood said after the Pulwama incident, the occupational forces became more violent and barbaric against the peaceful, innocent and unarmed Kashmiris.
He said,“After the Pulwama incident, innocent Kashmiris were martyred and their businesses were destroyed, besides women were disgraced in the IoK.”
Indian as well international media remained silent over the gruesome human rights abuses and extra judicial killings in the IoK, he added.
Moreover, he said, a ban had been imposed on pro-freedom religio-political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front while the entire imprisoned Kashmiri leadership were being subjected to mental as well physical torture.
The AJK president said the BJP backed extremist organizations were involved in grave violence against innocent Kashmiris and had made their lives miserable.
Thousands of Kashmirs, he said, had lost their eyes due to excessive use of pellet guns and brutal force by the occupational force. Investigation was required into the 6,000 unmarked graves to know the details about those buried there, he added.
Sardar Masood said despite Indian brutalities and state terrorism, an indigenous independence movement was continuing in the held valley. Time was not far away when the Kashmiris would get freedom from the Indian yoke.
“India is playing with fire that would burn it as it would not succeed to suppress independence movement in the IoK through state terrorism,” he remarked.
Kashmir, he said, had never been a part of India as it was illegally occupied by the Indian forces. The world had now realized that the resolution of Kashmir issue was must for lasting peace in South Asia.
Masood said the European Parliament had endorsed the recommendations of a United Nations’ report on state of grave human rights violations in the held valley and stressed on India to immediately halt its atrocities.
The All-Party Parliamentary Kashmir Group (APPKG) in the UK Parliament had also strongly condemned the Indian government over excessive use of force against Kashmiris and its refusal to allow independent observers to enter IoK to monitor the true scale of human rights violations, he added.
Following the Pulwama attack, he said, India like past had leveled baseless allegations against Pakistan without any proof and also violated Pakistani airspace.
Pakistan, however, bravely responded to the Indian aggression to protect its sovereignty and territorial borders and made it crystal clear on world including India that it was fully capably to defend its every inch against any foreign aggression, he added.
He said three wars were fought between the two countries on Kashmir. The core issue could not be addressed through use of force rather political and diplomatic means should be adopted for its resolution in accordance with the UN resolutions.
Masood Khan said the people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, including tribesmen of erstwhile FATA, had rendered great sacrifices for Kashmir and their strong firm support for Kashmir cause was highly commendable.
He thanked Pakistan for its consistent political, moral and diplomatic support for the people of Kashmir.
He said the road infrastructure had been broadened significantly in the AJK as new roads and highways had been constructed. Besides focus was made to provide quality education and health services, he added.
He said focus was also made on the construction of dams to increase hydel power generation. The AJK had immense potential for tourism and efforts were being made to exploit the potential by promoting hotel and motel industry, he added.
Farmers were being encouraged to promote agriculture, fruit-culture and horticulture in the AJK to generate revenue, he said.