The people of Pakistan and Kashmiris are observing ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ to raise their voice against the ongoing struggle against Indian oppression. The situation changed drastically in occupied Kashmir when India annexed the region in August 2019 and imposed a communication blockade which is still in place. Pakistan sought to internationalize the issue and gained considerable success but more efforts are required against the fascist Modi regime which is determined to alter the region’s demography.
Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment and extended full support for the people of occupied Kashmir with Foreign Minister Qureshi calling the struggle ‘just, sacred, and non-negotiable’ that must be resolved. He commended the resilience of the Kashmiri people in the Indian atrocities and expressed confidence that the Kashmiri spirit will eventually triumph. However, there is a lot more to be done particularly after the rise of the Hindutva ideology which is a threat not only to Kashmiris and the Muslim minority but even ordinary Indians.
The UN chief has once again called on India and Pakistan to come together and discuss their problems to resolve the Kashmir dispute. It is understood that there is no military solution as it would be disastrous for the region and beyond but still India is unwilling to allow the UN to mediate the issue or even discuss the problem knowing well that its atrocities and human rights violations will be exposed. The UN chief had offered to resolve the conflict before and has insisted on finding peaceful solutions.
The world is witnessing the rise of ultra-nationalism, racism, fascism, and religious intolerance in India. Any form of dissent is being shunned with force and the opposition there is defenceless and even Indian farmers protesting for their rights are being called terrorists. The Modi government has also postponed the census for occupied Kashmir till next year to gain more time to alter the region’s demography.
The main objective of Kashmir Solidarity Day to highlight India’s intransigence and provide diplomatic, moral, and political support for the people of Kashmir and the right to self-determination. Kashmir has been called the jugular vein of Pakistan and the hallmark of its foreign policy. It is necessary to find ways to convince world leaders that failure to resolve this long-standing dispute will have catastrophic consequences.
