India’s crackdown on IoK can destabilize region: Asad Majeed

WASHINGTON (92 News) – Pakistani Ambassador to US Asad Majeed Khan warned world powers that India’s crackdown on Occupied Kashmir (IoK) could destabilize the region to due to conflict between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India. In an interview with Newsweek, the Pakistani ambassador urged the world powers to mediate and examine the upcoming alarming threat due to the Indian atrocities in IoK. He also said that “things are getting worse” in IoK as the complete lockdown following the repeal of Articles 370 removed the special status approached its one-month mark. Asad Majeed pointed to widespread reports of an uninterrupted curfew, restraining the movement of people and internet and telephone suspension as well as instances of violence with few other details emerging from the closed-off state. He maintained that cross-border relations were deteriorating along with conditions in Occupied Kashmir. “We are also clearly seeing an escalation on the Line of Control (LoC) in the kind of weapons India is using,” he warned. “This is of immense concern. It's not just a serious and grave humanitarian crisis, but a danger to peace and security in the region,” the ambassador elaborated. Meanwhile, as the curfew in the IoK has entered in the 31st day on Wednesday, the life has become more miserable and multiplied after the shortage of food and medicine. According to the KMS, the Kashmir valley remains cut off from the rest of the world since August 05 due to continued blockade and suspension of internet, mobile and landline services and closure of TV channels. Publication of local newspapers remains suspended The worst type of humanitarian crisis is looming large on the horizon of the occupied territory as people are facing acute shortage of food, medicines and other commodities. Hospitals are facing shortage of medicine stock, while staff finds it difficult to turn up for duty due to curfew and restrictions imposed after India scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status a month ago.