'Is the international community's humanity dead when Muslims are being persecuted?'

Published September 5, 2019
Prime Minister Imran Khan. — Photo courtesy Imran Khan Instagram
Prime Minister Imran Khan. — Photo courtesy Imran Khan Instagram

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday questioned the global community's silence over the persecution of Muslims in Indian-occupied Kashmir and India.

The prime minister took to Twitter to highlight the plight of Kashmiri people, as he has done since India unilaterally decided to annex occupied Kashmir on August 5 and enforce a lockdown.

Read more: World has responsibility to stop Indian aggression: PM

"Today is the 32nd day of the siege of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian occupation forces of the Modi government," he said, adding that under the cover of this siege, Indian forces have killed, injured (with pellet guns), and abused Kashmiri men, women and children.

"Men have been taken away and thrown into prisons across India."

Highlighting the impacts of the curfew and communication blackout, he said: "Hospitals have run out of medical supplies; basic necessities are in short supply but a communication blackout has deprived Kashmiris a voice to the outside world and their families. Despite this, tales of horror are finding their way into the international media."

The prime minister in a series of strongly worded tweets said, "India's violation of all international laws including humanitarian laws is there for the world to see. So why is the world silent? Is the international community's humanity dead when Muslims are being persecuted?"

"What message is being sent to the 1.3 bn Muslims across the world?"

The prime minister further said that the world cannot feign ignorance as it did at Munich in 1938.

"The fascist, Hindu-supremacist design of the Modi government with its ethnic cleansing and genocide of Muslims' agenda in occupied Kashmir, in India itself [Assam] and beyond into AJK is now overt for all the world to see."

The suspension by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has almost completely isolated people in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Many Kashmiris living outside the valley also said they were having trouble getting in touch with their families.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported on Thursday there are no longer any restrictions on daytime movements in the Valley. However, checkpoints remain in place.

Earlier on Wednesday, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), had told the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir that the Pakistani armed forces were standing by them and will go to any length to protect their land.

Addressing a press conference at the General Headquarters on the situation in occupied Kashmir, the military's spokesperson also said a "befitting response" will be given to any false-flag operation staged by India.

"I want to give this message to Kashmiris that we stand by you and will continue to do so. It is sad that your independence struggle was presented as terrorism," he said.

"Kashmir is our jugular vein and we will go to any length to protect it," he had said.

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