IT is a matter of great concern that the mind-numbing atrocities being committed by the Indian occupation forces in Jammu and Kashmir are increasing with each passing day. The valley, which is home to eight million Kashmiri Muslims, has become a concentration camp because of the extremist Bharataya Janata Party government headed by their fascist leader Narendra Modi.

In the most recent act of brutality, Indian armed forces murdered an old man in cold blood in front of his three-year-old grandson. The footage of the traumatised toddler crying hysterically while sitting near his dead grandfather has elicited cries of anguish from all over the world.

The world’s (so-called) largest democracy has begun a systematic genocide of a people to grab their land.

Pakistan has exercised great patience so as to avert any unpleasant turn of events in South Asia. The Indian government, on the other hand, is not sincere about establishing peace in the subcontinent. New Delhi has stooped to every dirty trick and invented some new ones to slight Islamabad at every turn.

The current scenario and India’s obdurate behaviour raise some serious questions. First: can this problem be resolved by the mere delivery of long speeches in international meetings? If not, what steps can Pakistan take to help its Kashmiri brethren.

Second: are we heading towards war? The continuous ceasefire violations and the almost year-long curfew in Kashmir is a threat to peace. If this region is really heading towards havoc, why is the international community silent?

Awais Gopang
Sukkur

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2020