Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned the extra-judicial killing of four Kashmiri youth during cordon and search operations (CASOs) in Indian-occupied Kashmir's (IoK) Shopian district this week, according to a statement issued from the Foreign Office (FO).
"The pattern of ongoing atrocities in IoK, which has been intensified during the holy month of Ramazan, reflects India’s despicable policy of terrorising the population in a bid to perpetuate its systemic persecution of the Kashmiris.
"The valiant Kashmiri youth is, however, resolutely committed to their just cause and no amount of brutalities can dampen their unbreakable resolve," the FO statement said.
According to state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, Indian forces continued their "violent" CASOs even during Ramazan and military operations and house raids were conducted in and arrests were made in different areas of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Badgam, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipore, Islamabad, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar and other districts.
The Foreign Office said that so far, over 576 Kashmiris have been martyred by Indian forces since the actions of August 5, 2019, when IoK's special status was revoked.
"Notably, Kashmiri youth have been a specific target of the 900,000 strong Indian military force and [as a result] thousands of Kashmiri youth are living in a perpetual environment of terror, harassment and intimidation," the FO said.
It added that Indian forces continued to "perpetrate egregious violations of human rights in the occupied territory with shameless impunity under draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act and Armed Forces Special Power Act".
The FO reiterated Pakistan's demand for an investigation of extra-judicial killings in IoK by the Commission of Inquiry as recommended by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in its Kashmir reports of 2018 and 2019 and also called upon the international community to play its role for a resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
