THE state of Jammu and Kashmir has been under an inhuman curfew since August 2019. During this period we have seen international media also highlighting the human rights violations and demanded of India to end the curfew and free the arrested leaders.

The government has been trying to inform global leaders about the RSS ideology and the atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This can build more pressure on the Indian government to stop human rights violations as Pakistan’s diplomatic stance is being appreciated at the global level. From BBC, CNN and New York Times to the members of parliament of various countries, India’s curfew in the occupied valley is being condemned.

Pakistan has a committee for Kashmir affairs and a ministry too for the Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. But, unfortunately, the current and previous chairmen of the Kashmir committee haven’t been active and passionate about this sensitive issue.

I would urge the government of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to form a team of young and energetic scholars of history, international relations and specialists on the Kashmir issue instead of spending huge amount of money on rallies and media campaigns inside Pakistan.

The duty of this team should be to visit different countries to highlight the atrocities and human rights violations in India-occupied Kashmir. This team should form strategies for the global movement for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

Qaisar Ansar Kasana

Islamabad

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TO avoid a debate at the UNSC, India pleads that disputed Kashmir is a bilateral issue. At home, it says that Kashmir, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, are Indian union territories.

Let India clarify whether it regards Kashmir a disputed territory at all? Does it care a fig for UN resolutions?

Aeimen Maik

Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2020