ISLAMABAD – Preempting Indian bid to convert the Muslim majority in Indian occupied Kashmir into a minority, Pakistan has called upon the United Nations to help thwart such demographic changes.
In a letter addressed to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, highlighted the Indian attempts to bring such demographic changes to Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IoK), with the hope that it would receive his urgent attention as well as of the Security Council and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The letter was delivered to the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, at UN Headquarters in New York by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi.
The letter specifically points out the issuance of permanent residence certificates to non-residents, allotment of land to retired Indian army personnel, issuance of land to non-Kashmiris, and the establishment of separate townships for Kashmiri pundits and settlement of West Pakistan refugees in Indian occupied Kashmir, in violation of UN resolutions.
“The non-implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions is leading to a grave human tragedy in Indian occupied Kashmir,” the letter said.
“It is the obligation of the United Nations to implement the Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and fulfill the promises made with the Kashmiri people 70 years ago.
“This will not only end the immense sufferings of the millions of people of Jammu and Kashmir, but will also bring peace and stability in South Asia.” it added.
During the meeting with Under-Secretary-General Feltman, Ambassador Lodhi also highlighter shutdown of the Internet and social media facilities in Indian occupied Kashmir and the continued crackdown by Indian security forces in the restive region.
‘The continued Indian oppression and the consequent deterioration of the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir posed a threat to regional peace and security’ she said.
It bears mentioning that political analysts opine that India was deliberately changing demographics in the region accessing the results of the UN-administered plebiscite envisaged in the Security Council’s resolutions to settle the Kashmir dispute.
