India’s actions in IoK pose a threat to regional peace: Pakistani envoy

VIRGINIA (92 News) – Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Dr Asad Majeed Khan said that India’s actions in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) posed a threat to regional peace and stability. Addressing an event in the state of Virginia, the Pakistani envoy said the Narendra Modi-led government had held nine million Kashmiris hostage with its ongoing clampdown in the occupied valley, and called on the world to break its silence on the grave situation. He has urged the international community to take strict notice of India’s ongoing atrocities in occupied Kashmir. He also demanded that the world institutions send analysts and observers to the occupied valley and force India to withdraw its decision to end special status of occupied Kashmir. “India’s actions in occupied Kashmir posed a threat to regional peace and stability,” he noted, adding that it was not clear how the situation would unfold in the coming days. Ambassador Majeed pointed out that US President Donald Trump had offered as many as three times to play a role in mediating on the Kashmir crisis. In IoK, the authorities continued to impose strict curfew and lockdown across the Kashmir valley on the 21st consecutive day, on Sunday, to prevent people from holding demonstrations against Indian occupation and India’s move of ending special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Due to severe Lockdown, people are facing acute shortage of essential commodities including baby food and life-saving medicines and the valley represents a humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of thousands of people are besieged and Jammu and Kashmir has become a big jail for its inhabitants. The Indian authorities have been maintaining a strict curfew in the Kashmir valley since 5th August when Narendra Modi government announced scraping of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Hundreds of thousands of Indian troops and police personnel deployed in every nook and corner of the territory are not allowing people to come out of their homes. The authorities also continue to impose information blockade as TV channels and internet links are snapped and restrictions on media remain in place since 5th August.