Masood strongly condemns killing of 6 innocent Kashmiris by Indian troops
President says India’s draconian black laws empower occupation forces to commit war crimes
Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan has strongly condemned killing by Indian occupation forces of 6 innocent civilians in Shopian and subsequent lockdowns and crackdowns in Indian-Held Kashmir.
Speaking on the recent killings taking place in IHK, the president said, “Six young civilian men were gunned down in cold blood and now they are being called militants. India has flouted international humanitarian laws applicable in the conflict situations which prohibits the killing of non-combatants. India has once again committed a heinous war crime.”
The president made these remarks during his two-day official visit to Italy while addressing various events in the cities of Brescia, Bergamo, and Cremona organised by the Pakistani-Kashmiri community-based in the administrative region of Lombardy.
President Masood Khan said that India’s draconian black laws – the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act – empower occupation forces to commit such war crimes with impunity. India, the president said, must be held accountable by the UN Security Council, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the Human Rights Council.
He said that India by using unbridled brute force has denied the unarmed innocent Kashmiris their right to self-defence and instead demonised their indigenous freedom struggle as acts of terrorism and labeling the defenseless protestors as terrorists.
Emphasising the fact that there was no terrorism in IHK, he said, “The Kashmiris are the most unarmed populace on the face of the earth and are leading a peaceful unarmed struggle for their right to self-determination which had been guaranteed under the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. The only terrorism in IHK is the state terrorism under the patronage of Delhi.”
During his interaction at the community events, he complimented the Pakistani-Kashmiri community-based in Italy for their commitment and resolute struggle for the cause of Kashmir; especially commending their efforts in closing their ranks and forging unity.
Lauding the successes of the Pakistan-Kashmir diaspora community, he urged them to continue working for a stronger and prosperous Pakistan because only a strong Pakistan can guarantee the realisation of the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He thanked the people and Government of Pakistan for its continued moral, political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiris.
Paying tribute to the valiant civilians living along the LoC, he assured his audience that the issues concerning compensation to the people living near the LoC and relocation of some of the population exposed to extremely dangerous zones are being addressed.
In his exchange of views with the Italian lawmakers and other interlocutors, the president said that Pakistan and Italy enjoyed excellent relations and work closely on various issues at the United Nations. The members of the Pakistan-Kashmir community in Italy, he said, were acting as ambassadors between Pakistan and Italy building and strengthening diplomatic and social bridges between the two countries.