Bright-lit and flashing, “From Kashmir to Palestine: Occupation is the crime,” “India: Stop Land Grabbing in Kashmir,” “India: Stop Killing of Political Prisoners in Kashmir,” and “Kashmiris Reject Indian Occupation: UN Resolution Only Solution” paraded by way of central areas in Washington, DC. These areas included Capitol Hill, the White House, the Department of State, the Washington Monument, most embassies, together with the Embassy of India, numerous museums, and extra. This type of digital truck promoting successfully delivered our message to a various viewers, together with international embassy diplomats, spectators, observers, and abnormal Americans.
Rented by the Washington-based ‘World Kashmir Awareness Forum’ (WKAF), these digital vans additionally displayed different messages, together with “Stop: India’s Demographic Change in Kashmir,” “Indian Army Out of Kashmir,” “Hold India Accountable for War Crimes in Kashmir,” “End Indian Colonisation of Kashmir,” and “Kashmir for Kashmiris.”
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Mir, President of WKAF and Chairman of the Kashmir Diaspora Coalition, highlighted the importance of October 27 because the Black Day for Kashmiri folks worldwide. On at the present time in historical past, India invaded the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir beneath questionable circumstances, utilizing a faux instrument of accession. Kashmir was a majority Muslim area, dominated by a minority tyrannical king, which had already launched the Quit Kashmir motion in 1931. The folks needed him gone and have been additionally resentful of India as a consequence of its mistreatment of Muslims throughout the post-independence bloodshed.
Dr. Mir famous India’s expansionist designs and the way Pandit Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel plotted to invade and occupy Kashmir at any human value. During the identical interval, the Poonch bloodbath and the lethal Jammu Genocide of 1947 occurred, ensuing within the homicide of a quarter-million Muslims and the displacement of over half 1,000,000 to Pakistan, the place they’ve by no means been allowed to return. Dr. Fai likened this disaster to the Nakba of Palestine in 1948, emphasising the potential for regional and world instability, even a 3rd world conflict, and a nuclear disaster.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman of the World Forum for Peace and Justice, questioned why world leaders, together with President Biden, don’t use their ethical authority to induce violators of worldwide legal guidelines to stick to democratic values and common rules. He speculated that worldwide arms gross sales and the military-industrial complicated is perhaps influencing international coverage priorities.
Dr. Fai added that peace in South Asia would profit each Kashmiris and India, urging a extra rational strategy to resolving variations. He careworn the necessity for a coverage change that respects the fitting of all folks to find out their very own future.
Dr. Imtiaz Khan, a professor at George Washington University Medical Centre, identified the similarities between the atrocities dedicated by Indian forces in Kashmir and people in Palestine. He cited the killing of harmless civilians, ethnic cleaning, and a land seize operation, together with makes an attempt to sway schoolchildren away from Islam by introducing Hindu spiritual practices in academic establishments. Dr. Khan referred to as on the worldwide neighborhood, particularly the UN and OIC, to take discover of those human rights violations and dissuade India from such actions.
He expressed considerations in regards to the UN’s credibility as India disregards resolutions and brazenly negates commitments to the folks of Kashmir. Dr. Khan appealed to the worldwide neighborhood to maneuver past empty statements, insisting that India ought to face sanctions and censure if it continues to backtrack on its guarantees, with world repercussions in thoughts.
Sardar Zarif Khan, Advisor to the President of Azad Kashmir, highlighted the observance of October 27 as a day of occupation and grief worldwide. It was on this date in 1947 that India despatched its military to occupy the land.
Sardar Zarif Khan added that Indian-occupied Kashmir has changed into a focus camp, suppressing any voice of dissent with imprisonment and even loss of life. He cited examples like Khurram Parvez, who documented atrocities dedicated by the Indian military, and Yasin Malik, who refuses to compromise on Aazadi.
Sardar Zulfiqar Roshan Khan careworn the necessity for India and Pakistan to fulfil their UN guarantees, permitting the folks of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their future by way of a UN-conducted referendum. This promise stays unfulfilled.
Sardar Zubair Khan emphasised that the folks of Kashmir are naturally peaceable and don’t search conflict. They desire a peaceable and negotiated settlement for the sake of regional peace and stability.
Raja Liaqat Kiyani, President of Kashmir House, highlighted the presence of 900,000 Indian occupation forces, making Kashmir the world’s largest military focus. These forces intention to suppress the civilian inhabitants into submission, however the Kashmiri folks stay steadfast of their wrestle for liberation.
Sardar Aftab Roshan Khan conveyed that the folks of Azad Kashmir stand with their counterparts in Indian-occupied Kashmir. They are dedicated to serving to diplomatically and politically to be the voice of the unvoiced.
Shoaib Irshad emphasised the significance of together with accredited management from Jammu and Kashmir in negotiations with India and Pakistan for a Kashmir resolution that garners the consensus of your entire inhabitants.
Shafiq Shah underlined the existential risk dealing with the folks of Kashmir, with India altering the demography of the area and making an attempt to change its Muslim majority character.
Khalid Faheem expressed prayers for the security and safety of individuals in Palestine and Kashmir, contemplating each to be the oldest points pending on the United Nations Security Council’s agenda.
Tahseen Hussain deplored the inaction of world powers, attributing the ache and struggling of the folks of Kashmir and Palestine to this inaction.