ISLAMABAD: Expressing disappointment over blanket coverage of Hong Kong protests by international media while keeping silence over gross human rights violations in India-held Kashmir, Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet members became part of a ‘human chain’ as it passed through the Prime Minister Office on Friday to show solidarity with the people of held Kashmir.

“I want to highlight the issue of double standards, as Kashmir is not a part of India and Hong Kong is part of China, but the proportion of coverage of the Kashmiri people is much less as compared to the issue of Hong Kong,” Mr Khan said while decrying the international community for ignoring the plight of Kashmiris.

The prime minister was addressing a large number of people who had formed the ‘human chain’ from D-Chowk to Radio Pakistan Chowk to express solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir.

Highlights sharp contrast in media coverage of Hong Kong protests, oppression in India-held Valley

He said Pakistan would continue to raise voice in support of the people of Kashmir and against violation of their rights by India. “God willing, it will become a massive movement,” he added.

Mr Khan said the human chain delivered a message to the people of occupied Kashmir that the Pakistani nation was with them. “We will continue reminding the international community that eight million humans have been locked up in Kashmir,” he vowed.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed a mistake and played his last card by depriving occupied Jammu and Kashmir of its autonomy, he said, reminding him that the residents of the disputed region would not accept the decision. “Modi thinks that the people of occupied Kashmir will accept the decision of revocation of Article 370 [of the Indian constitution], but he does not know what

the Kashmiri people have faced over the past several decades has eliminated the fear of death among them. Tens of thousands of Kashmiri people will come out on streets when the curfew is lifted,” he added.

‘Imran approaching every forum’

During her interaction with the media at the site of the human chain, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the prime minister was keeping his promise to the Kashmiri people that he would approach each and every forum to highlight their plight.

“PM has delivered this message by participating in the human chain,” she said, adding that the chain was formed to shake the conscience of the global community and the international media.

Dr Awan said Mr Khan had once again told the world that the Pakistani nation would continue to raise their voice for Kashmir. She added this human chain would ultimately lead to the breaking of the chains which had confined the Kashmiri people in jail for more than two months.

On Aug 5, India had imposed a curfew in the occupied territory along with a communication blackout.

Black Day

To express solidarity with the people of India-held Kashmir, October 27 will be observed as a black day, according to an interior ministry announcement.

An official press release issued here on Friday stated: “The national flag shall be flown at half-mast throughout the country on Sunday, October 27, 2019.” It added that the black day would be observed to express harmony with the Kashmiris who have been facing oppression by the Indian forces.

Giving rise to one of the world’s deadliest disputes, the Indian army landed in the Himalayan valley of Kashmir on this day seven decades ago (Oct 27, 1947). Every year people in this divided region mark Oct 27 as a black day to protest the Indian military occupation.

The first India-Pakistan war over Kashmir was fought after independence from the British rule when Kashmir’s ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, faced with an internal revolt as well as an external invasion requested assistance from India’s armed forces in return for accession to India. He handed over control of his defence, communications, and foreign affairs departments to the Indian government with both sides agreeing that the accession would be ratified by a referendum to be held after hostilities ceased. That vote was never held even after 72 years, making Kashmir an unsolved legacy of the Subcontinent’s partition.

Valiant Kashmiris launched a forceful struggle in 1989 to achieve their internationally recognized right to self-determination. Since then more than 80,000 Kashmiris have laid down their lives fighting to claim their right to self-determination.

The Kashmir conflict continues to be the same as it had been 72 years ago, with the only difference being the increase in oppression by Indian forces. The number of Indian troops in the held Valley has surged in August when Indian parliament through a controversial move robbed the disputed region of its special status.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2019