QUETTA: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq has criticised the international community for its silence over Kashmiri people’s genocide by Indian occupation forces.

Addressing participants of the Kashmir Awami March on Sunday, he said the brave Baloch and Pakhtun tribesmen would not leave their Kashmiri brothers alone in these testing times.

He said the federal government was only issuing statements but not taking any practical step to mitigate the sufferings of Kashmir people.

“Millions of people will shut down Islamabad if the government betrayed the people of Kashmir,” the Jamaat-i-Islami chief warned.

“The rulers will find no place to hide if they tried to damage the Kashmir cause,” he added.

Says government is not taking any step to mitigate Kashmiris’ sufferings

A large number of people, including JI workers and supporters, reached Quetta from different parts of Balochistan to take part in the march.

One party worker was killed and another suffered injuries when their vehicle coming from Nasirabad met an accident on Quetta-Sukkur highway.

The participants of the march holding placards and banners inscribed with anti-Indian slogans gathered near Railway Hokey Ground and later marched up to district courts where the JI chief and other party leaders addressed them.

Senator Sirajul Haq said thousands of people had rendered sacrifices for the liberation of held Kashmir over the past seven decades, but unfortunately Pakistani rulers never showed any commitment to the cause.

He said it had become obvious that the Modi government wanted to change the demography of held Kashmir and its ultimate goal was to attack Azad Kashmir, so the Pakistani government should immediately take decisive steps to thwart enemy’s designs.

The JI chief said the curfew in held Kashmir had entered 43rd day, but the world was acting as a silent spectator and no one was asking India to stop genocide in the occupied valley.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan, instead of acting alone, should have invited the national leadership to attend the recent rally in Muzaffarabad to send a clear message to India that the Pakistani nation was united in support of the Kashmiri people.

Senator Haq said the government had failed to bring improvement in any sector during its rule of more than one year. The economy was in crisis and there were no employment opportunities for millions of youths, he added.

“Inflation has hit an all-time high and people are showing desperation over the government’s performance.”

He said the Transparency International had warned against increase in corruption.

The JI chief said his party would hold Kashmir marches in Sargodha on Sept 20, in Muzaffarabad on Sept 27 and in Lahore on Oct 6.

He said the JI would keep raising the voice for the people of Balochistan at every forum.

Balochistan JI chief Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi and other party leaders also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2019