ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has warned India that if it commits the blunder of carrying out a strike on AJK, the state will be turned into a graveyard of Indian forces.

Talking to national and international media here on Tuesday, he reminded the Modi government of a statement of the first Indian prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in which he had advised his nation not to commit the mistake of carrying out a strike on Azad Kashmir, otherwise no Indian personnel would return alive from there.

AJK President Khan said that all eyes were focused on the United Nations Security Council to see what steps it took to prevent a potential human tragedy in the wake of war hysteria of Indian rulers, and what strategy it adopted to minimise the threat of war and destruction hovering over the region.

“Without waiting for any formal request from Pakistan or the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Security Council should take immediate action under clauses 1, 33, 34, 35, 36, 41 and 42 of the UN Charter and play its role in mitigating threats posed to peace and security of South Asia as had been done in Mali, Sudan and many other central Africa states,” he said.

In reply to a question, the AJK president said that at present, the India-occupied part of the Kashmir valley was under siege and carnage of innocent civilians was continuing at the hands of Indian troops.

“The entire occupied state is facing an acute shortage of foodstuffs and life-saving drugs and, therefore, the UN should immediately intervene and establish a humanitarian corridor to save the lives of stranded Kashmiri people,” he stressed.

Mr Khan also called upon the UNSC to take immediate notice of constant violations of the ceasefire agreement and secure an end to shelling and firing by Indian forces on the civilian population living along the Line of Control (LoC).

He said that more than three dozen civilians had been killed and dozens others injured in Azad Kashmir in recent days, setting the worst example of provocation by the Indian army.

Answering questions from journalists, the AJK president said that Pakistan was effectively pleading the Kashmir case at the international level to the satisfaction of the Kashmiri people.

However, he said that the Kashmiri people did not recognise any so-called LoC and those from AJK are keen to trample this line to rush to the rescue of their brothers and sisters facing repression in the Indian occupied territory.

“We are peace-loving people and do not want to fan the flames of war, but if war is imposed on us, we would fight the Indian aggression shoulder to shoulder with our brave armed forces,” Mr Khan said.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2019