ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Monday expressed solidarity with the Kashmiris enduring oppression by the Indian forces and warned that the deteriorating situation in India-held Kashmir and escalation of aggression along the Line of Control and Working Boundary was a threat to regional peace.

The cabinet decided to observe Friday (April 6) as Kashmir Solidarity Day to protest against Indian brutalities and express unity with the Kashmiris. The valley remained on a standstill on Monday due to a strike observed by the people to protest the killings and a security clampdown by the forces to suppress demonstrations.

Around 20 Kashmiris were killed on April 1 — the bloodiest day in the current phase of the uprising that started with the killing of Burhan Wani in July 2016 — in clashes with the Indian forces.

“The deteriorating situation in Indian occupied Kashmir and the Indian escalation at the Working Boundary and the LoC is a flashpoint and a threat to regional peace and tranquillity,” said Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif at a press conference following a special session of the federal cabinet which adopted a resolution while reviewing the worsening situation in the valley.

Day to express solidarity with Kashmiris will be observed on April 6

The cabinet demanded that UN Secretary General António Guterres appoint a special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir “with a mandate flowing from the unimplemented UN Security Council resolutions”.

Asking the international community to take notice of the aggravating human rights situation in India-held Kashmir, the cabinet requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to send fact-finding missions to India-held Kashmir.

The foreign minister had earlier spoken to his Turkish and Iranian counterparts on the situation in Kashmir. In a statement, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman expressed concern over the killing of 20 people in held Kashmir and called for calm.

The cabinet decided that special envoys would be sent to the capitals of some countries to highlight blatant violation of human rights in India-held Kashmir. “The federal cabinet emphatically condemned the draconian laws including Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), Terrorist and Disruptive Activites (Prevention) Act, Public Safety Act (PSA) and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) imposed by India in the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir,” said a statement on the meeting.

Condemning the suspension of communication services, especially the Inter­net in the valley, the federal cabinet noted “such reprehensible Indian attempts aimed at silencing the voice of the Kashmiris from reaching the international community would never succeed.”

Two major opposition parties also condemned the human rights violations by India.

Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the “butcher of Gujarat and Kashmir Modi was playing Holi with the blood of Kashmiri people”. He expressed concern over the silence of the international community on the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan said: “The people of Pakistan stand with the democratic struggle of Kashmiris for self-determination. The UNSC must act against Indian aggression in IOK.”

However, PTI leader Dr Shireen Mazari said: “Pakistan lacks a viable Kashmir policy, which is the first and foremost step Pakistan should take for the resolution of the conflict. Pakistan should have a clear-cut Kashmir policy. …. The government needs a proactive policy regarding Kashmir in order to take the issue towards conflict resolution.”

While speaking at a seminar organised by Strategic Studies Institute, Islamabad, on ‘Global Strategic Environment and Pakistan’, she criticised the Kashmir Committee for being inactive and ineffective in the situation and said Pakistan should extend full support to All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2018