Pakistan Adds Jammu and Kashmir on Its Map, India Reacts
The Modi government has also arrested a slew of local Kashmiri leaders who oppose the Indian government.
By Rakesh Raman
The Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan – Imran Khan – unveiled Tuesday (August 4) a new political map which shows Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Ladakh, and parts of western Gujarat as Pakistan territories, although traditionally they belong to India.
India has dismissed Pakistan’s claims saying that it is an act of “political absurdity” without any endorsement by the global community.
Pakistan’s decision to add the Indian territories on its map coincides with the first anniversary of the withdrawal of special privileges to J&K under Article 370. India had scrapped Article 370 on August 5, 2019 to end the special autonomous status given to J&K.
After ending the statehood of J&K, India had constituted J&K and Ladakh as Union Territories (UTs) governed by the Central administration headed by PM Narendra Modi.
Imran Khan asserts that India’s action to withdraw special privileges of J&K under Article 370 was illegal. Pakistan calls it Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and observes 5th of August as 365 days of Indian military siege of J&K.
We have also depicted the aspirations of the Kashmiri people & our commitment to UNSC resolutions in the political map of Pakistan released yesterday.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 5, 2020
Imran Khan said that the new map which has been endorsed by Pakistan’s cabinet and backed by its political leadership would be used in Pakistan’s schools. He added that Pakistan will continue diplomatic efforts to resolve long-standing border disputes with India.
After the terror attack in J&K’s Pulwama district last year, in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed, tension between India and Pakistan increased. India claimed that it had retaliated by launching strikes at terror camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.
Meanwhile, a two-day curfew has been imposed in the Kashmir Valley for August 4 and August 5, as the locals plan to observe August 5 as Black Day in Kashmir.
While Kashmir is a disputed territory between India and Pakistan, the decision of India to occupy Kashmir is being construed as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.
Reiterating that India’s decision is against the will of the people in Kashmir, Pakistan has been asking for a plebiscite in Kashmir under the UN supervision.
I will continue to be an ambassador for all Kashmiris whose voices India has tried to silence through its brutal illegal occupation of IIOJK. After many years, my govt raised the Kashmir issue effectively before the UN & exposed the Hindutva Supremacist fascism of the Modi Govt
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 5, 2020
“I will continue to be an ambassador for all Kashmiris whose voices India has tried to silence through its brutal illegal occupation of IIOJK. After many years, my government raised the Kashmir issue effectively before the UN and exposed the Hindutva Supremacist fascism of the Modi government,” Imran Khan tweeted today (August 5).
As large-scale violence is expected against the Indian government’s abrupt decision to change the status of J&K, the Indian authorities had suspended Internet, mobile services, and banned public gatherings in Srinagar area of Kashmir. In Srinagar city, there is said to be a total communications blackout.
In a despotic move, the Modi government has also arrested a slew of local Kashmiri leaders who oppose the Indian government. The entire region is now under the control of heavily armed Indian security forces.
It is stated that India has deployed nearly 900,000 security people to control unarmed Kashmiris, and nearly 80,000 civilians have been killed in the conflicts during the past 7 decades.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society. He also creates and publishes a number of digital publications and research reports on different subjects. These publications include the “Covid Health Bulletin” that covers global coronavirus news and views.
