An international lobbying group has submitted a petition to the five permanent and 10 non-permanent members of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) offering new ideas to end the Indian military occupation of Kashmir in accordance with the UNSC resolutions on Kashmir.
A petition was simultaneously released in New York City and Islamabad on the occasion of Black Day, Oct. 27, which marks the day India occupied Kashmir.
The petition stated that the humanitarian catastrophe in Kashmir has reached critical levels and warrants “an urgent and immediate” international intervention.
Youth Forum for Kashmir (YFK), which organised the petition, is an international youth-led pressure group that unites human rights defenders and activists on a single platform.
Ahmed Quraishi, a lobbyist and executive director of the YFK, launched the petition at a press briefing at the National Press Club, Islamabad.
Quraishi said that the international community is now alert of the need to normalise the situation in South Asia, and this was not possible without ending the massive Indian human rights violations in Kashmir. He added that Kashmiri activists worldwide have intensified their contact campaign with diplomats, politicians and the media everywhere, claiming that this is the best time to convince India to end the military occupation in Kashmir.
Quraishi said that Kashmiri freedom activists are more optimistic today than ever and the pressure is building on New Delhi, adding that Kashmir prevents India from playing its due role in the region.
