25th Year of Publication

Vol: 25 No. 09
Monthly September 2019

INSIGHT

Pakistan’s Independence India’s Independence The World Can’t

Day observed as Day marked as Black Ignore Kashmir.
Kashmir Solidarity Day Day We Are All in Danger
 Pakistan’s all-out support to Kashmir cause

“We will never leave our Kashmiri brothers and sisters alone whatever the circumstances.
Kashmiri people are our people and we are the Kashmiris. We think of their pain as our pain.
Pakistan has remained with them and will continue to do so. Pakistan does not accept Indian
measures which violated Simla Agreement. Pakistan fully supports Kashmiris' right to self-
determination. Pakistan has always supported Kashmiris and will continue to stand by them.”

(President Dr Arif Alvi addressing

flag hoisting ceremony of Independence Day at
Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad, August 14, 2019)

“I warn Indian premier Narendra Modi that any action by India in Pakistan would be countered
with a stronger response. The Army is prepared; not just the Army but the entire nation will
fight alongside our military. Aggressive war is against Islam, but when Muslims have fought for
the sake of freedom, they have defeated the biggest armies. We will be ready, we will respond to
whatever you do - we will go till the end."

(Prime Minister, Imran Khan, addressing a special session of

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on August 14, 2019)

“I want to assure the people of Kashmir, Pakistan will never leave them alone. The hearts of
Pakistanis and Kashmiris beat together. The valiant people and armed forces of Pakistan are
ready to sacrifice anything for their Kashmiri brethren. Kashmir is our jugular vein. We will
fulfill our commitment towards Kashmir till last bullet, soldier and breath. Pakistan will go to
any extent in support of oppressed Kashmiri people.”

(Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa,

addressing a Defence Day function in Rawalpindi, September 06, 2019)
Kashmir Insight SEPTEMBER 2019

Editor: M Raza Malik From The Editor's Desk

Extremist Hindu organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sub Editor: Benazir Khan Sangh-backed Narendra Modi-led Indian government
announced repeal of the special status of occupied
Art Editor: M.Haroon Kashmir on August 05 and put the territory under strict
curfew and communication blackout. It shut all
CONTENTS communication links of occupied Kashmir including
internet, mobile and landline telephone services and TV
Editorial channels to hide the ground situation and atrocities of its
troops on innocent Kashmiris from the world. Local
World realises sensitivity of newspapers failed to update their online editions and most
Kashmir dispute finally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02 of them could not hit the stands weeks together.
The occupied territory was cut off from the rest of the world
Cover Story due to severe military siege, leading to a severe
Continued lockdown, humanitarian humanitarian crisis. However, a little information coming
out of the besieged territory through international media
crisis in IOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 outlets painted a very grim picture of the situation on
Reports ground. The reports published by the media organisations
like Voice of America (VoA), British Broadcasting
Pakistan’s Independence Day observed as Kashmir Corporation (BBC), The New York Times, The Washington
Post and Al Jazeera maintained that the people affiliated
Solidarity Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07 with media faced immense difficulties in news gathering
India’s Independence Day marked as Black Day. . . 11 due to continued curfew and information blockade
imposed by the Indian government. The reports said that
Genocide Watch issues genocide alert for the caged residents of the occupied territory particularly
the Kashmir valley faced severe hardships due to acute
occupied Kashmir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 shortage of essential commodities like baby food, milk and
Pictorial life-saving medicines in the face of strict lockdown. They
also said that hundreds of people including Hurriyat
Images speak louder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 leaders, political activists and youth were put under house
Human rights situation arrest or in jails by the authorities during massive
crackdown and tortured many others to prevent
Indian atrocities on IOK people during August 2019 demonstrations against the repeal of special status of the
territory.
Raies Ahmed Mir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The international media also exposed the Indian
Article government’s false claims of normalcy and reported
massive protests across occupied Kashmir against Indian
The World Can’t Ignore Kashmir.
brutal actions of stripping the territory of its special status
We Are All in Danger and complete lockdown. Al Jazeera in a report even said
that India’s brutal measures including mass arrests,
Imran Khan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 communication shutdown and harassment were leading
Reports the situation to violence. It said, chants of “one solution,
gun solution” had recently resounded at protests in the
World fears Kashmir can provide South Asia’s territory.
nuclear spark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 The concerns expressed by the international community
about the grim human rights situation in occupied Kashmir
Chronology is a testimony to the fact that New Delhi has failed to
convince the world about its brutal, illegal and
A chronological account of developments unconstitutional actions and there are no takers of its
on Kashmir (157) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 narrative on Kashmir. However, more needs to be done on
part of the world community to end the sufferings faced by
Beauty thy name is the people of occupied Kashmir at the hands of Indian
The Neelum Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 forces.

Literature
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House # 389-B, Street # 85, I/8-4 Islamabad.
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Email: kashmirinsight@yahoo.com
Printers: Web Brothers, Printers, Publishers
Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Al-Rehman Plaza, 44-H, Haider Road, Rawalpindi
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 Report
Editorial
The recent illegal and unilateral
actions of Narendra Modi-led
government in New Delhi
regarding occupied Kashmir
sent shockwaves across the
globe. The Modi government
announced abrogation of
Article 370 of the Indian
Constitution that granted
special status to occupied
Kashmir and imposed unprece-
dented curfew and communica-
tion blackout, leading to a
humanitarian crisis, in the
World realises sensitivity
of Kashmir dispute finally
territory. The move is aimed
besides other at changing the
demographic composition of
occupied Kashmir by settling
Indian citizens in the territory.
World leaders including the UN
Secretary General Antonio
Guterres, the US President
D o n a l d Tr u m p , F r e n c h
President Amanuel Macron and
global forums and organisa-
tions like European Union,
O rg a n i s a t i o n o f I s l a m i c
Cooperation and Amnesty
International expressed serious
concern over the grave human
rights situation in occupied
Kashmir and escalation of
tension between Pakistan and
India following New Delhi’s
inhuman actions in Kashmir.
They asked the two countries to
maintain maximum restraint
and resolve the Kashmir dispute
through talks.
The grave situation of occupied
Kashmir forced the United
Nations Security Council to
convene a special consultative
session to discuss the matter.
This was for the first time in
fifty years that the World Body
held an exclusive meeting on
Kashmir. The closed door
meeting in New York on August
16, 2019 took up Pakistan’s
request for debate on India’s act
to change the disputed status of
Jammu and Kashmir. The
holding of this session rejected
India’s claim that Kashmir is its
internal matter rather it testified
the fact that Jammu and
Kashmir is an internationally-
recognised dispute concerning
the right to self-determination
of millions of Kashmiris.
On the other hand, massive
demonstrations held by people
of all faiths including Muslims,
Sikhs and Christians across the
world in solidarity with the
oppressed people of occupied
Kashmir also depicted the
resentment against India’s
illegal and inhuman actions in
the territory.
The United Nations
Commissioner for Human
Rights, Michelle Bachelet, in
her address and over 50 coun-
tries in joint statement at the
42nd session of UN Human
Rights Council in Geneva
raised concern about the
sufferings of the people of
occupied Kashmir due to
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 02
continued lockdown. Even
Indian people like opposition
leaders, Rahul Gandhi, P
Chidambaram, Shashi Tharoor,
Priyanka Gandhi, Sitaram
Yechuri, D Raja, Sharad Yadav
and Manoj Jha, journalists,
Barkha Datt and Nirupama
Subramanian, as well as Nobel
laureate, Dr Amartya Sen,
strongly denounced the imposi-
tion of continued curfew and
restrictions and communication
blockade in occupied Kashmir.
Major opposition parties also
protested against the continued
clampdown in occupied
Kashmir and demanded
immediate release of political
leaders and restoration of
communication services in the
territory.
India’s move evoked strong
resentment from the people of
occupied Kashmir as they are
vehemently protesting against
it, despite heavy presence of
Indian troops and paramilitary
personnel. New Delhi needs to
realise the fact that by resorting
to the worst kind of state
terrorism, it has failed to
suppress the Kashmiris’
struggle for securing freedom
from its occupation in the past
almost seventy two years and
would never succeed in its
nefarious designs in the future
as well.
The world community, particu-
larly the UN, also must take
cognisance of India’s brutal
actions in occupied Kashmir. It
must come out of its routine of
issuing mere statements and
concerns about the grim
situation in occupied Kashmir
and take practical steps for the
settlement of the Kashmir
dispute for the regional as well
as global peace.
 Cover
Report
Story
India virtually turned occupied
Kashmir, an internationally-
recognised disputed territory,
into its colony on 5th August
2019 when Narendra Modi-led
communal government in New
Delhi announced repeal of the
special status of the territory.
Indian troops have been
perpetrating grave human rights
violations with impunity in the
occupied territory for the past
over seven decades but have
miserably failed to force the
Kashmiris to accept India’s
illegal occupation over their
homeland. Indian troops’
brutalities such as mass killings,
fake encounters, abductions,
forced disappearances, moles-
tation of women and use of
prohibited weapons such as
pellet guns and cluster muni-
tions against the defenseless
Kashmiris have caused unimag-
inable sufferings to the
Kashmiri nation and these
atrocities constitute crimes
against humanity.
The occupied Kashmir
completed on September 05 a
full month under the siege of
brutal Indian forces where
unrelenting curfew and
communications blackout
brought the normal life to a
grinding halt with markets
continued to remain shut and
public transport off the roads.
Several reports from interna-
tional media outlets kept on
pouring in about Indian atroci-
ties against the defenseless
Kashmiris. Since there was no
access of media to occupied
Kashmir, the actual scale of
atrocities could be much higher
given India’s track record of
torture, killings in fake encoun-
ters, forced disappearances, and
other inhuman treatment to the
people of occupied Kashmir.
All these human rights viola-
tions took place in the 21st
century and amidst protectors
of human rights by a so-called
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 03
largest democracy of the world.
The Kashmir valley and Doda,
Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban and
Rajouri areas of Jammu region
had no contact with the rest of
the world due to curfew,
suspension of internet, mobile
and landline phones and closure
of TV channels. Local newspa-
pers could not update their
online editions while most of
them could not hit the stands.
The Indian authorities turned
the Kashmir valley into a big
jail and a hell for its inhabitants.
The people faced immense
hardships due to acute shortage
of essential commodities
including food, milk and life-
saving medicines as a result of
continued blockade. While the
residents were confined to their
homes, the patients with critical
ailments were not allowed to
move to hospitals. People were
prevented from performing
their religious obligations like
offering congregational prayers
 Cover Story
on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha
(on August 12) and on Fridays
and taking out Muharram
processions. The historic Jamia
Masjid of Srinagar and many
other main mosques of the
territory were kept locked on
every Friday after August 05.
People were not allowed even
to attend the funeral prayers of
their dear ones who passed
away. Markets and schools
remained closed in the valley.
After scraping the Article 370
of the Indian Constitution that
granted special status to
occupied Kashmir on August
05, the Modi government
launched a massive crackdown
in the territory. Almost all
Hurriyat leaders including Syed
Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq and Muhammad Ashraf
Sehrai were placed under house
arrest or in jails. Over 11,000
Kashmiris including resistance
leaders, political activists and
youth were arrested by the
Indian troops and police to stop
demonstrations against the
abrogation of special status of
the territory. Those arrested also
included even pro-India
politicians like Farooq
Abdullah, Omar Abdullah,
Mehbooba Mufti, Engineer
Abdur Rasheed and Shah
Faesal. Dozens of detainees
including Kashmir High Court
Bar Association President,
Mian Abdul Qayoom, and
trader leaders, Mubeen Shah
and Shakeel Qalandar, were
shifted to various Indian jails
like Agra, Lucknow and
Bareilly. A good number of
young boys, as old as 12 years
of age were picked up by the
occupational forces during
night raids and shifted to
unknown locations. The family
members of the abducted youth
remained unaware of the fate
and whereabouts of their dear
ones.
A magistrate speaking to the
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 04
French news agency, AFP, in
Srinagar on August 18
confirmed that at least 4,000
people were arrested under the
black law, Public Safety Act
(PSA), over the past two weeks.
Principal Secretary of occupied
K a s h m i r, R o h i t K a n s a l ,
confirmed to media on August
30 that more than 4,500 people
had been arrested under the
PSA since August 05. Those
detained under the PSA include
Hurriyat leaders, political
workers, traders, lawyers,
social activists and youth. The
law allows the authorities to
keep anyone under detention
for up to two years without trial.
Despite curfew and restrictions,
Kashmiri youth kept on taking
to the streets in Srinagar,
Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama,
Shopian, Islamabad, Kulgam,
Baramulla, Kupwara,
Bandipora, Poonch and Rajouri
districts and staged forceful
anti-India protests. More than
600 incidents of protests took
place in the month, with
Srinagar topping the list with
over 160 such incidents. On
August 17, the Kashmir valley
recorded 24 protests, the
highest number in a single day.
Hundreds of protesters were
 Cover Story
injured due to the firing of
bullets, pellets and teargas
shells by Indian troops and
paramilitary personnel on the
protesters. A senior government
official told media on August 28
that as many as 36 persons had
received pellet injuries in the
Kashmir valley since August 05
which were reported only in
Srinagar hospitals. The data
from other hospitals of the
valley was not available.
Amid the worst curfew, restric-
tions and media censorship, the
Indian troops launched ethnic
cleansing of the Kashmiri
Muslims. A report released by
the Research Section of
Kashmir Media Service on
September 01 revealed that
Indian troops in their unabated
acts of state terrorism martyred
16 Kashmiris including a young
boy and a woman during the
month of August. The report
said that the killings rendered
one woman widowed and 3
children orphaned. During the
period, the report said, 467
people were injured in the firing
of bullets, pellets and teargas
shells on protesters by Indian
troops. Fourteen women were
disgraced and thirty one
residential houses were
damaged by the troops during
the period, the report added.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of
All Parties Hurriyat
Conference, Syed Ali Gilani, in
his first official statement
issued on August 23 after the
scrapping of special status of
occupied Kashmir by India
urged all the Kashmiris
including common men and
women, government officials,
bureaucrats and police
personnel to resist the naked
Indian brutality with full
determination till complete
freedom from Indian yoke. He
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 05
said that there was no other
alternative for the people of
occupied Kashmir but to fight.
He said, if India brings its entire
armed forces into occupied
Kashmir, even then the people
of Kashmir will not abandon
struggle for their rights and
liberation.
The APHC Chairman said, in
spite of India’s all out efforts,
Kashmir dispute was being
highlighted throughout the
world like never before and
cited the United Nations
Security Council meeting on
Kashmir and the international
media coverage to support his
argument. He said, this was a
great victory for the Kashmiris
that now no narrative apart from
their ideals of the struggle for
right to self-determination and
justice remain relevant in the
Kashmiri political discourse.
He pointed out that it was a final
golden opportunity for all
sections to join the valiant
struggle of Kashmiri people for
complete freedom from Indian
bondage. He also urged the
Kashmiri people living abroad
to participate in the resistance
struggle by acting as ambassa-
dors of Kashmiri people all over
 Cover Story
the world.
Hurriyat activists through
posters and handbills released
in occupied Kashmir hailing the
Kashmiris for resisting India’s
nefarious move of repealing the
special status of the territory
appealed them to remain
steadfast. The Hurriyat activists
said that they were very
thankful to everyone who stood
for their rights including their
Pakistani brothers and sisters
who were all out in their
support.
They warned the Kashmiri
people to
beware of
Indian collabo-
rators who were
trying to
approach their
Indian masters
to bring the
members of
extremist
Hindu organi-
sations like
Rashtriya
Swayamsevak
Sangh and other
Hindutva
forces to the
territory to
make the Kashmiris slaves and
snatch their everything
including religious identity.
They also asked the Indian
collaborators to adopt Hurriyat
line and in case they provide
any facilitation to Hindutva
forces, they would face serious
consequences.
Kashmir is protesting right now
and the continued lockdown
only vindicates this fact. If there
are unprecedented security
arrangements across the
occupied territory, it only shows
that some large public response
is sought to be curbed and
prevented from unleashing
itself. It is also evident from the
facts that the scrapping of
Article 370 has totally changed
the situation and put the identity
of Kashmiris and the demo-
graphic composition of occu-
pied Kashmir at stake, some-
thing that has always been
rejected and resisted by the
people of the occupied territory.
It has been umpteen times that
Islamabad has apprised the
global community of the
nuclear threat posed by the
festering Kashmir dispute
between the two nuclear
archrivals. Pakistani leadership
particularly Prime Minister,
Imran Khan, has repeatedly said
that Pakistan doesn’t want war
in the region as military
confrontation between the two
nuclear-armed hostile neigh-
bours would spiral out of
control and the result would be
catastrophic not only for the
region but also for the whole
world.
This fact cannot also be denied
that the situation existing in
occupied Kashmir in the
aftermath of the repeal of its
special status can lead to a
nuclear war in South Asia. This
has even been pointed out by a
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 06
US think tank Stratfor, a
geopolitical intelligence
platform based in Austin, Texas,
while warning that the specter
of nuclear war haunts tensions
between India and Pakistan and
the disputed territory of
Kashmir could provide the
spark that lights South Asia’s
nuclear fuse.
Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran
Khan, in his article published in
The New York Times rightly
pointed out that if the world
does nothing to stop the Indian
assault on Kashmir and its
people, two
nuclear-armed
states will get
ever closer to a
direct military
confrontation.
The world
community
should reckon
the fact that it
has not yet
fulfilled the
promises made
w i t h t h e
K a s h m i r i
people and the
United Nations
has failed to implement its
resolutions on Kashmir that
called for holding of plebiscite
in Jammu and Kashmir to allow
the Kashmiris to exercise their
right to self-determination. To
achieve this right, the people of
Kashmir have rendered
unparalled sacrifices.
It is imperative now for the
world powers to come forward
in a big way and play role in the
settlement of the Kashmir
dispute in accordance with the
Kashmiris’ aspirations to save
the South Asian region from a
catastrophe.
(Humayun Aziz Sandeela)
 Report
The 73rd Independence Day of
Pakistan on 14th August 2019
was observed as Kashmir
Solidarity Day to express full
support to the Kashmiri
brethren reeling from renewed
Indian repression.
The Kashmir Solidarity Day
was observed to denounce
India’s illegal, unilateral and
brutal actions of abrogating
special status of occupied
Kashmir and imposing strict
curfew and communication
blackout as well as placing
Hurriyat leaders and political
activists under house arrest and
detention.
The day dawned with special
prayers in the mosques at Fajr
for peace, progress and
prosperity of the country and
liberation of the occupied
territories of the Muslims
including Jammu and Kashmir
and Palestine.
A special logo for the
Independence Day was also
released reflecting the theme
“Kashmir Banega Pakistan”.
Entire nation in a unified voice
reiterated to continue moral,
political and diplomatic support
to the Kashmiri brethren in their
just struggle for securing their
right to self-determination
promised to them by the
international community
through UN resolutions.
The main flag hoisting
ceremony was held at Jinnah
Convention Centre in
Islamabad. Addressing the
ceremony, President Dr Arif
Alvi emphatically renewed
Pakistan's unflinching support
to the Kashmiri people in their
just struggle to achieve their
right to self-determination. He
said, “We will not leave them
alone at any stage. Kashmiris
and Pakistanis are one. Our
grief is common as their tears
move our hearts. We were with
them; we are standing with
them and will continue to do
so.”
Various political leaders
including National Assembly
Speaker, Asad Qaisar; Senate
Chairman, Muhammad Sadiq
Sanjrani; and Special Assistant
to the Prime Minister on
Information and Broadcasting,
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan were in
attendance. Mushaal Mallick,
wife of illegally detained
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation
Front Chairman, Muhammad
Yasin Malik, also addressed the
event.
Prime Minister, Imran Khan,
while addressing a special
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 07
session of Azad Jammu and
Kashmir Legislative Assembly
in Muzaffarabad warned the
Indian premier, Narendra Modi,
that any action by India in
Pakistan would be countered
with a stronger response.
“We have information and we
have had two National Security
Committee (NSC) meetings.
The Pakistan Army has full
knowledge that India has
devised a plan to take action in
AJK,” he shared in his address
during what was his first visit to
AJK since becoming the prime
minister in 2018. “Like the
action they took in Balakot after
Pulwama incident, according to
our information, they have
made a more horrendous plan
now. To shift the world's focus
away from occupied Kashmir,
they want to take action in
AJK,” he said.
Addressing Narendra Modi, he
said, “This is my message to
you: you take action and every
brick will be countered with a
stone. The Army is prepared;
not just the Army but the entire
nation will fight alongside our
 Report
military.”
“On the day of Pakistan's
Independence, I am with my
Kashmiri brothers and sisters,”
he said at the outset of his
address.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS),
General Qamar Javed Bajwa,
said that Pakistan had always
stood by the Kashmiris against
India’s hegemonic ambitions
and would continue doing so
and there could never be a
compromise on the Kashmir
issue.
“Reality of Kashmir was neither
changed by an illegal piece of
paper in 1947 nor will any other
do it now or in future. Pakistan
has always stood by Kashmiris
against India's hegemonic
ambitions, will always do.
There can never be a
compromise on Kashmir,” the
COAS was quoted as saying by
Director General Inter-Services
Public Relations (ISPR), Major
General Asif Ghafoor, in
tweets.
The Army Chief said that
Pakistan would stand in the face
of tyranny, regardless of the
cost. “The Pakistan Army is
fully alive to the sanctity of
Jammu and Kashmir and will
remain fully ready to perform
its part in line with our national
duty for the Kashmir cause,” he
said.
Meanwhile, jubilant citizens
took out rallies across the
country carrying flags of
Pakistan and AJK and chanting
slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’
and ‘Kashmir Banega
Pakistan’.
Rallies in connection with the
Kashmir Solidarity Day were
held in all major cities and
towns of Punjab, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh,
Balochistan, AJK and Gilgit-
Baltistan to express solidarity
with the Kashmiri brethren and
condemn and reject the Indian
move of scraping the special
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 08
status of occupied Kashmir. The
participants of the rallies
showed complete unity with the
oppressed people of the
occupied territory.
They denounced the illegal and
unilateral action of Narendra
Modi-led Indian government of
stripping Jammu and Kashmir
of special status by revoking
Article 370 of the Indian
Constitution. The participants
carried banners with slogans
condemning the Indian
brutalities in occupied Kashmir.
The students of various schools,
colleges and universities across
Pakistan also held
demonstrations and rallies to
express solidarity with the
people of Kashmir and register
their protest against India’s
nefarious action which is aimed
at changing the demographic
composition of Jammu and
Kashmir. The protesters
appealed to the world
community to impress upon
India to resolve the Kashmir
dispute by granting the people
of Jammu and Kashmir their
right to self-determination.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)
held a rally from Liaquat Bagh,
Rawalpindi, to D-Chowk,
Islamabad, to express unity
with the people of occupied
 Report
Kashmir. The rally was attended
among others by top leadership
of PTI, federal and provincial
ministers, members of national
and provincial assemblies,
party workers and people
belonging to all walks of life .
Prominent among those who
addressed the rally were
ministers Shah Mahmood
Qureshi, Murad Saeed, Ali
Amin Gandapur, Special
Assistant to Prime Minister on
Information and Broadcasting,
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan,
Chairman Parliamentary
Committee on Kashmir, Syed
Fakhar Imam, and PTI's senior
leader, Asad Umer.
Addressing the rally, Foreign
Minister, Shah Mahmood
Qureshi, said that observance of
the Independence Day as
Kashmir Solidarity Day was
aimed at giving a message to
India and the international
community that Pakistani
nation was standing united with
the oppressed people of
occupied Kashmir. He said
Pakistan has decided to take up
the prevailing situation in
occupied Kashmir at all
international forums. He said
after a period of 40 years, the
Kashmir issue had been taken
again to the UN Security
Council under the leadership of
Prime Minister, Imran Khan.
He also asked the international
community, especially Muslim
Ummah, to play its role in the
settlement of the Kashmir
dispute as per the aspirations of
the Kashmiri people.
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan in her
speech expressed the
confidence that Pakistan would
progress and the Kashmir
dispute would be resolved
under the bold and dynamic
leadership of Prime Minister,
Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, Pakistani High
Commission in New Delhi
celebrated the national day in
solidarity with brave Kashmiris
who are engaged in a just
struggle for securing their right
to self-determination. The
Pakistani flag was raised by
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 09
Acting High Commissioner,
Syed Haider Shah, at an
impressive flag-hoisting
ceremony held on the
Chancery’s lawns.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the
US, Dr Asad Majeed Khan,
hoisted the National Flag to
o b s e r v e P a k i s t a n ’s 7 3 r d
Independence Day as Kashmir
Solidarity Day in a simple and
graceful ceremony held at the
Embassy of Pakistan,
Washington D.C. Speakers of
the event called for settlement
of the Kashmir dispute in
accordance with the Kashmiris’
aspirations and the relevant UN
resolutions. On the occasion,
the Embassy also arranged a
photo exhibition highlighting
the sufferings of the Kashmiris,
who are facing the Indian
atrocities, to give a glimpse of
India’s blatant disregard for
humanity and human rights in
occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan's Independence Day in
London was marked by
expressing solidarity with the
Kashmiri people at Pakistan
High Commission. A large
number of people including
Members of British Parliament
(MPs), members of Pakistani
and Kashmiri community,
Foreign and Commonwealth
Office officials, British friends
of Pakistan and representatives
of media attended the
ceremony.
 Report
In his address, Pakistani High
Commissioner to the UK,
Muhammad Nafees Zakaria,
highlighted the plight of the
people of occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan Ambassador to China,
Naghmana Hashmi, addressing
a ceremony held in Beijing to
mark the Independence Day as a
day of solidarity with the
Kashmiri people reaffirmed
Pakistan’s continued support to
the Kashmiris’ just freedom
struggle.
Different functions were held in
other cities of the world
including Paris, Tehran,
Ankara, Colombo, Cairo, Abu
Dhabi, Dushanbe, Singapore,
Brussels, Ottawa and Tunis.
The speakers of these events
condemned India’s illegal and
unilateral action of repealing
the special status of occupied
Kashmir. They urged the world
community to take cognisance
of Indian atrocities on the
innocent people of occupied
Kashmir.
The speakers called for a
peaceful settlement of the
Kashmir dispute in accordance
with the UN Security Council
resolutions and aspirations of
the Kashmiri people. They
maintained that Pakistan would
continue its political,
diplomatic and moral support to
the people of Kashmir till they
achieve their inalienable right to
self-determination.
On the other hand, massive
protest demonstrations
continued across Pakistan in the
month of August against India’s
brutal actions in occupied
Kashmir.
On the call given by Prime
Minister, Imran Khan, Kashmir
Solidarity Hour was observed
on August 30 to express support
to the
people of
occupied
Kashmir
reeling
u n d e r
Indian
coercion
and to
d r a w
w o r l d
attention
t o
emerging
humanitarian crisis in the
territory. During the Kashmir
Solidarity Hour observed from
12:00 PM to 12:30 PM sirens
were sounded all across the
country and national anthem of
Pakistan followed by anthem of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir were
played. The traffic across the
country had come to a halt.
Prime Minister, Imran Khan,
had earlier announced that
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 10
“Kashmir Solidarity Hour” will
be observed across the country
every Friday from 12:00 PM to
12:30 PM till September 27,
2019 when he will address the
United Nations General
Assembly.
The Pakistani nation also
observed Defence and Martyrs’
Day, the 6th September, as
Kashmir Solidarity Day.
Addressing an event held at
General Headquarters in
Rawalpindi, in connection with
the day, Chief of Army Staff,
General Qamar Javed Bajwa,
said the Kashmir dispute is an
unresolved agenda of the
realisation of Pakistan and
would remain so until a solution
was found on the basis of the
United Nations resolutions and
the will of the Kashmiri people.
“I want to assure the people of
Kashmir, Pakistan will never
leave them alone. The hearts of
Pakistanis and Kashmiris beat
together. The valiant people and
armed forces of Pakistan are
ready to sacrifice anything for
their Kashmiri brethren.
Kashmir is our jugular vein. We
will fulfill our commitment
towards Kashmir till last bullet,
soldier and breath. Pakistan will
go to any extent in support of
oppressed Kashmiri people,” he
added. (KI Report)
 Report

Pakistanis as well as Kashmiris denied all their rights. Internet places. Many were flown out of
on both sides of the Line of broadband, telephones and TV the occupied territory and kept
Control and all over the world channels were snapped. The in various Indian jails in Agra,
observed India’s Independence occupied territory was cut off Bareilly or Lucknow and their
Day as Black Day on August 15, from the rest of the world. family members did not know
2019 in protest against
unprecedented Indian
brutalities in occupied Kashmir.
The Black Day was observed to
register strong protest against
India’s illegal and unilateral
action to change the disputed
status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The decision to observe Black
Day was taken at the meeting of
National Security Committee
chaired by Prime Minister,
Imran Khan, after Narendra
M o d i - l e d g o v e r n m e n t ’s
decision to abrogate Articles
370 and 35-A of Indian
Constitution that granted
special status to occupied
Kashmir and its residents.
Pakistan strongly rejected
Indian unilateral decision
aimed at bringing structural
change to disputed status of the
territory. National Flag of
Pakistan flew half-mast and
black flags were hoisted on
public buildings, vehicles and
roads to symbolise the protest
against India’s illegal attempt to
annex Jammu and Kashmir.
On the other hand, the Indian
authorities continued to impose
strict curfew and other
restrictions across the Kashmir People faced acute shortage of their whereabouts.
valley on the 11th consecutive essential commodities like baby The summer capital of the
day on August 15 to prevent food and life-saving medicines. territory, Srinagar, was turned
people from holding anti-India No access was given to patients into a vast maze of razor wire
demonstrations. Millions of to hospital and the territory was coils and steel barricades while
Kashmiris were deprived of giving the picture of a drones and helicopters hovered
their liberties and fundamental humanitarian crisis. overhead.
rights since August 05 when Hundreds of Kashmiri political Meanwhile, protest rallies were
Indian government announced leaders and activists were put in taken out in all parts of
repeal of Article 370. They were jails or detained at undisclosed Pakistan, Azad Kashmir and
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 11
 Report
Gilgit-Baltistan to express
solidarity with the oppressed
Kashmiri people. The
participants of the rallies
expressed concern over the
increasing Indian atrocities,
illegal detentions and
imposition of continued curfew
by India in occupied Kashmir.
They warned the Indian
government to desist from
suppressing the people of the
territory through military might
and other oppressive tactics.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf held
a rally in front of Foreign Office
in Islamabad to mark Indian
Independence Day as Black
Day. A larger number of PTI
leaders and workers
participated in the rally.
Holding flags of Pakistan and
Azad Kashmir, they chanted
anti-India slogans. PTI leaders,
Amir Mahmood Kiani, Asad
Umer and Faisal Javed, led the
rally.
Asad Umer in his speech said
Kashmir is an internationally-
recognised dispute, which
should be resolved according to
the UN resolutions. He said
India has violated international
laws by revoking special status
of occupied Kashmir.
Earlier, PTI leaders held a
meeting with the officials of UN
Observer Mission at
Diplomatic Enclave in
Islamabad and presented a
memorandum to the
representative of the UN
Mission.
During a ceremony held at F-9
Park in Islamabad, three
thousand black balloons were
released in the air as a mark of
protest against India’s illegal
occupation over Jammu and
Kashmir and its atrocities on the
Kashmiris. Speaking on the
occasion, Minister for
Communications, Murad
Saeed, said Kashmir is an
international dispute which has
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 12
once again gained world's
attention.
The All Parties Hurriyat
Conference Azad Jammu and
Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter
organised a protest
demonstration outside the
Indian High Commission in
Islamabad. The participants of
the demonstration expressed
concern over the increasing
Indian atrocities, illegal
detentions and imposition of
continued curfew in occupied
Kashmir. They warned the
Indian government to desist
from suppressing the people of
the territory through military
might and other oppressive
tactics. They said that New
Delhi must realise the fact that it
would not be able to subdue the
Kashmiris’ freedom sentiment
through use of brute force.
Addressing on the occasion, the
APHC-AJK leaders said
Kashmir dispute is not a
territorial or bilateral dispute
between Pakistan and India.
They said it is an international
dispute acknowledged by the
UN through its resolutions
accepted by the two countries
and it pertains to the life of
millions of Kashmiris. They
termed the abrogation of
 Report
Articles 370 and 35-A of the
Indian Constitution by Modi
government as a deep
conspiracy and vowed that the
Kashmiris will resist this ploy at
every level.
The APHC-AJK leaders said
that on one hand, India had been
trying to suppress the
Kashmiris’ just struggle for
securing their right to self-
determination for the past over
seventy-one years through the
use of brute force, while on the
other, it had been hatching
conspiracies to change the
demographic composition of
occupied Kashmir.
Protest rallies, demonstrations
and seminars were held in all
major cities and towns of
Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Sindh, Balochistan, AJK and
Gilgit-Baltistan to condemn
and reject the Indian move of
scraping the special status of
o c c u p i e d K a s h m i r. T h e
protesters also expressed
complete solidarity with the
oppressed people of occupied
Kashmir. Anti-India rallies
were staged and processions
were taken out across AJK
including capital Muzaffarabad
and all other district
headquarters of Mirpur, Kotli,
Bagh, Bhimber, Palandri,
Rawalakot, Haveili, Jhelum
Valley and Neelam Valley by
the people belonging to all
walks of life to express severe
anger against the Indian
imperialism.
The participants of these events
were carrying black flags,
banners and placards to express
hatred against India for turning
occupied Kashmir into the
world’s largest prison and
perpetrating brutalities and
human rights abuses in the
territory.
In London, thousands of people
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 13
held a demonstration outside
the Indian High Commission to
mark India’s Independence Day
as Black Day. The protesters
showed unity with the
oppressed Kashmiris and
condemned the stepped up
Indian state terrorism in
o c c u p i e d K a s h m i r. T h e
demonstrators carried banners
reading “Kashmir is Burning”,
“Free Kashmir” and Modi
Make Tea Not War”. Many of
the protesters had come to the
British capital from different
cities on specially chartered
buses.
Pakistan's Embassy in Ankara
organised a ceremony in
connection with the Black Day
to protest against India’s illegal
move to change special status of
occupied Kashmir. Speaking on
the occasion, Pakistan's
Ambassador to Turkey, Syrus
Sajjad Qazi, urged the
international community to
break its silence on the ongoing
ethnic cleansing of Muslims in
o c c u p i e d K a s h m i r. T h e
Ambassador also highlighted
the sufferings of the Kashmiri
people after India locked down
Kashmir in the wake of its
recent illegal moves.
 Report
The Kashmir Council Europe
(KCEU) organised a protest
demonstration in front of the
Indian Embassy in Brussels to
mark the Indian Independence
Day as Black Day. A large
number of people from all
walks of life including
Kashmiris, Pakistanis and
representatives of different
organisations based in Belgium
and other member countries of
the European Union attended
the demonstration. It was a
unique scene that as Indians
were inside the embassy to
celebrate their Independence
Day, at the same time, a huge
number of Kashmiris and their
sympathisers were protesting
against anti-Kashmiris
behaviour of Indian authorities
in front of the embassy.
During the protest, a
memorandum addressed to the
Indian regime was also
presented to the embassy. The
memorandum called upon the
Indian authorities to
immediately end curfew in
occupied Kashmir and release
all Kashmiri political leaders
and activists without any delay.
It also asked the Indian Prime
Minister, Narendra Modi, to
fulfill the promise of his
predecessor, Jawaharlal Nehru,
of allowing the people of
Jammu and Kashmir decide
their political future by
themselves.
The KCEU also organised a sit-
in protest in Brussels, the
European Union Headquarters,
against the Indian brutalities in
occupied Kashmir. The sit-in
protest was attended by a large
number of people including the
Europe-based Pakistanis,
Kashmiris and their
sympathisers.
In India, groups fighting for
freedom of Manipur and Assam
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 14
from India also announced to
boycott the Indian
Independence Day celebrations
in protest over Modi
government ’s attempt of
annexing occupied Kashmir.
In a statement, the groups said
that the scrapping of Article 370
and bifurcation of Jammu and
Kashmir without the consent of
the people of the territory
showed India’s arrogance and
blatant disregard for
democratic principles.
Protests demonstrations and
rallies were also held in
Birmingham, Washington DC,
New York, Toronto, Tehran,
Qom, Ankara, Riyadh, Abu
Dhabi, Colombo, Kuala
Lumpur and many other cities
of the world to mark India’s
Independence Day as Black
Day and to condemn the Indian
brutalities in occupied
Kashmir. The participants of
these events urged India to
resolve the Kashmir dispute by
giving the Kashmiri people
their inalienable right to self-
determination for ensuring
durable peace in South Asia.
(KI Report)
 Report
Genocide Watch, a US-based
organisation, on August 21,
2019 issued a genocide alert for
occupied Kashmir in the wake of
I n d i a ’s c l a m p d o w n a f t e r
revoking special status of the
territory.
It issued the alert just as Pakistan
Prime Minister, Imran Khan,
urged the international
community to prevent the
impending genocide in occupied
Kashmir.
The Genocide Watch, which
keeps an eye on disputes across
the world, gave a brief history of
Kashmir conflict in its alert
while detailing the reasons
which led it to issue the warning.
Explaining the reasons behind
issuing the alert, the organisation
also recalled the Indian atrocities
in occupied Kashmir where
occupational forces have carried
out genocide and massacres,
killing people with impunity
during the last over seven
decades.
Below are the early warnings of
genocide stated by Genocide
Watch on its website.
1-An exclusionary ideology of
“Hindutva” - India as Hindu
nation - by Modi’s ruling BJP.
2- Authoritarian military rule
without legal restraints imposed
by civilian Indian officials.
Rule by a minority military force
(Hindus and Sikhs) over
majority Muslim citizens.
Cut-off of communications and
outside access by internet,
media, and trade;
Widespread violations of basic
human rights - torture, rape,
detentions without charge,
arbitrary arrests and
deportations of Muslim political
leaders and human rights
activists.
It also listed the “Ten Stages of
the genocidal process” that it
said are far advanced:
Classification: Hindu and Sikh
Indian Army “us” vs. Kashmiri
Muslim civilian “them”;
Symbolisation: Muslims have
Muslim names (on ID cards),
Kashmiri language, dress,
mosques;
Discrimination: Hindu Pandits
were economically dominant
until 1990; BJP reasserted Hindu
power;
Dehumanisation: Muslims are
called “terrorists”, “separatists,”
“criminals,” “insurgents;”
Organisation: 600,000 heavily-
armed Indian Army troops and
police dominate Kashmir;
Polarisation: Modi and the BJP
incite anti-Muslim hatred; social
media spread falsehoods;
Preparation: The Indian Army
occupies Kashmir; BJP leaders
speak of the “Final Solution” for
Kashmir;
Persecution: Kashmiri
Muslims are locked down,
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 15
subjected to arrest, torture, rape,
and murder;
Extermination: Genocidal
massacres occurred during
Partition; since 1990, there have
been at least 25 massacres with
death tolls over 25
Denial: Modi and BJP say their
goals are to “bring prosperity”
and “end terrorism”; they deny
any massacres. No Indian Army
soldier or policeman is ever tried
for torture, rape or murder.
Genocide Watch called upon the
United Nations and its members
to warn India not to commit
genocide in occupied Kashmir.
Thousands of people, mostly
young men, were arrested in
occupied Kashmir during a
lockdown and communications
blackout imposed by India to
prevent demonstrations against
New Delhi’s decision of
repealing the special status of
o c c u p i e d K a s h m i r. T h e
crackdown began just before
Narendra Modi-led Hindu
nationalist government on
August 05 stripped the occupied
territory of special status by
abrogating Article 370 of the
Indian Constitution.
(KI Report)
 08-08-2019 Ganderbal 09-08-2019 Srinagar 11-08-2019 Sopore

16-08-2019 Srinagar 15-08-2019 Srinagar 18-08-2019 Srinagar 20-08-2019 Srinagar

23-08-2019 Islamabad 28-08-2019 Sopore

30-08-2019 Baramulla
Human Rights Situation
Narendra Modi-led communal
government in New Delhi taking
Indian atrocities on IOK people
a drastic step of abrogating the
Article 370 of the Indian
during August 2019
Compiled by Raies Ahmed Mir
Constitution that granted special Warpora in Sopore.
status to occupied Kashmir August 01: Indian troops The troops killed two more
imposed unprecedented curfew destroyed a residential house youth during a cordon and
and communication blackout in during a cordon and search search operation in Pandushan
the territory. The move which operation at Badarhama in area of Shopian district.
sent shockwaves across the globe Shopian district. August 04: Indian police
is mainly aimed at changing the August 02: The troops killed a arrested and placed over 50
demographic composition of youth, Zeenat-ul-Islam Naikoo, political leaders and activists
Jammu and Kashmir by settling and injured a dozen people under house arrest in the
Indian citizens in the territory. during a cordon and search Kashmir valley.
The people of the occupied
operation in Pandushan area of August 05: Indian authorities
territory particularly the Kashmir
Shopian district. announced repeal of special
valley faced severe hardships due
to acute shortage of essential
Several people including status of occupied Kashmir and
commodities like food items and
life-saving medicines amid strict
lockdown. Hundreds of people
including Hurriyat leaders,
political activists and youth were
put under house arrest or in jails
by the authorities during massive
crackdown and many others were
tortured to prevent
demonstrations against the repeal
of special status of the territory.
The Indian actions drew severe
criticism from the global
community as the UN Secretary
General Antonio Guterres, the
US President Donald Trump,
French President Emmanuel
Macron,United Nations
Commissioner for Human women were beaten and i m p o s e d s t r i c t c u r f e w,
Rights, Michelle Bachelet and property was ransacked by the restrictions and snapped all
global forums and organisations troops during a cordon and landline phones, internet and
like European Union, search operation at Watchi mobile services and TV
Organisation of Islamic Darbagh in Pulwama. channels in Kashmir, Jammu
Cooperatio and Amnesty Indian police arrested 11 and Ladakh regions and ordered
International, expressed serious people including Jammu and closure of all educational
concern over the grave human Kashmir Peoples League institutions.
rights situation in occupied Chairman, Mukhtar Ahmed An 11th class student, Osaib
Kashmir. They asked New Delhi Waza, during house raids in Altaf, was killed and over a
to lift curfew and communication Islamabad, Bijbehara, dozen people were injured when
blackout in the occupied territory Pampore and Khrew areas of Indian troops used brute force
and restore the basic rights and south Kashmir. on protesters in different areas of
freedoms of the Kashmiri people. August 03: Indian troops Srinagar.
Following is an account of day- during military operations The authorities placed almost all
to-day Indian atrocities on the killed seven youth in Keran Hurriyat leaders including Syed
people of occupied Kashmir area of Kupwara district and Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar
during the month of August 2019. two at Malmapanpora Farooq and Muhammad Ashraf

KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 18

Human Rights Situation
Sehrai under house arrest or in
jails. The authorities detained
hundreds of political leaders and
activists like Farooq Abdullah,
Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba
Mufti and M Y Tarigami. The
actions were aimed at
preventing demonstrations
against repeal of special status
of the occupied territory.
August 06: The lockdown and
communication blackout in
occupied Kashmir continued on
the second day after India
imposed curfew and snapped
television, telephone and
internet links to prevent protests
against its move of scrapping
special status of the territory.
August 07: Over 80 people
were critically injured after
Indian forces’ personnel fired
pellets and teargas shells on
protesters in different areas of
Srinagar.
Indian police arrested more than
500 political leaders and
workers across occupied
Kashmir.
Strict curfew and complete
communication blockade
continued for the third
consecutive day.
August 08: Around a dozen
youth were injured after Indian
troops used brute force on
protesters in Srinagar, Hajin,
Shopian, Pulwama and
Ganderbal areas while strict
curfew and complete
communication blockade
continued in Kashmir and
Jammu regions.
Over 300 people were arrested
by Indian police during house
raids in different areas of
K a s h m i r v a l l e y, D o d a ,
Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch,
Jammu and Kargil.
The occupation authorities
shifted around 70 political
prisoners from Kashmir valley
to Agra Central Jail in India.
August 09: A woman,
Fehmeeda Bano, was killed and
dozens of people were injured
due to the use of brute force by
Indian police and troops on
protesters in Srinagar, Hajin,
Shopian, Pulwama and
Ganderbal areas.
The occupation authorities did
now allow people to offer Friday
prayers at Jamia Masjid in
Srinagar and other main
mosques of Kashmir valley and
Jammu region.
Indian police arrested hundreds
of people during house raids
across Kashmir valley.
August 10: The police harassed
media persons who were
performing their duties during
curfew hours in Doda.
Curfew, restrictions and internet
blockade continued in entire
Kashmir valley and in Rajouri,
Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and
Ramban districts of Jammu for
sixth consecutive day.
The occupation authorities
airlifted 25 people, including the
President of Kashmir High
Court Bar Association, Mian
Abdul Qayoom, and trade
leader, Mubeen Shah, to Agra
Central Jail in India.
August 11: The authorities
continued lockdown in Kashmir
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 19
on seventh straight day.
The authorities shifted over two
dozen political prisoners from
Srinagar to Bareilly and
Lucknow jails in the Indian state
of Uttar Pradesh.
August 12: The authorities did
now allow Kashmiris to offer
Eid prayers and celebrate Eid-
ul-Azha. The authorities closed
down all big mosques of the
valley including Jamia Masjid,
Srinagar. All communication
links remained cut off for 8th
consecutive day.
August 13: Indian forces’
personnel barged into the houses
and arrested hundreds of youth
in different areas of Kashmir
valley and Rajouri, Poonch,
Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban
districts of Jammu.
August 14: The police arrested
hundreds of people during house
raids in Srinagar, Shopian, Hajin
and other areas of the Kashmir
valley.
Indian police arrested former
IAS officer, Dr Shah Faesal, at
New Delhi Airport, shifted him
back to Srinagar and booked
him under black law, Public
Safety Act.
August 15: Several people were
injured when Indian troops used
brute force against protesters in
Human Rights Situation
Srinagar.
Indian police arrested a
journalist, Irfan Malik, from his
home in Tral area of Pulwama.
August 16: Several people were
injured after Indian forces’
personnel fired pellets and
teargas shells on thousands of
protesters in Srinagar where a
lockdown continued on 12th
straight day after the abrogation
of special status of occupied
Kashmir.
Indian police arrested half a
dozen youth and damaged
several houses during raids in
downtown Srinagar.
August 17: Over three dozen
youth were injured after Indian
forces’ personnel used brute
force on protesters in Soura,
Bemina, Chadoora, Hajin,
Shopian, Pulwama and Sopore
areas.
Indian policemen barged into
residential houses and arrested
several youth in Srinagar. The
cops also damaged properties of
local people.
August 18: A 65-year-old
civilian, Ghulam Muhammad,
was killed and several people
were injured after Indian troops
fired pellets and teargas shells
on protesters in Soura,
Rainawari, Nowhatta and
Gojwara areas of Srinagar.
The troops arrested several
youth and damaged many
houses in Bemina area of
Srinagar.
August 19: At least eight
persons were injured in pellet
firing of the Indian forces in
Srinagar while several people
sustained injuries after Indian
police used brute force on
protesters in Udhampur.
August 20: Many people were
injured when Indian forces’
personnel fired bullets, pellets
and teargas shells on protesters
in Srinagar, Baramulla and
Pulwama areas.
At least 40 people were arrested
by Indian police during house
raids in Mehjoor Nagar,
Rajbagh and other areas of
Srinagar.
Indian police arrested three
youth of Pulwama district from
a hotel in Chandigarh, India.
August 21: Indian troops during
a cordon and search operation
killed a youth, Ghulam Rasool
Gojri, at Ghani Mohallah in
Baramulla.
Several people were critically
injured after Indian forces fired
pellets and chilli grenades on
protesters in Baramulla and
Srinagar areas.
August 22: Many youth
sustained injuries when Indian
troops used brute force on
protesters in Fateh Kadal, Soura,
Natipora, Safakadal, Badshah
Nagar, Bemina, Sopore and
other areas of Kashmir valley.
August 23: Seven youth were
injured after Indian forces fired
teargas shells and pellets on
protesters in Srinagar and
Shopian areas.
The occupation authorities did
not allow people to offer Friday
prayers at Jamia Masjid in
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 20
Srinagar while imposition of
curfew and blockade of internet
service continued in Kashmir
valley, Kargil and different parts
of Jammu region.
The authorities shifted 30 more
prisoners from Kashmir valley
to Agra Central Jail.
August 24: Three youth were
injured after Indian forces used
brute force on protesters in
Srinagar city.
August 25: Indian troops killed
a youth, Noor Muhammad Dar,
in Bijbehara area of Islamabad
district.
C u r f e w, r e s t r i c t i o n s a n d
communication blockade
continued in Kashmir valley and
some areas of Jammu region.
August 26: Indian police
arrested three youth in Bijbehara
area of Islamabad district.
August 27: The troops arrested
two youth from Delina area of
Baramulla district.
August 28: The police during
house raids arrested over two
dozen youth in Bhaderwah,
Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban
areas.
August 29: Indian troops
arrested several youth in Poonch
and Rajouri areas.
 Report
Article
Imran Khan
After I was elected prime
minister of Pakistan last August,
one of my foremost priorities
was to work for lasting and just
peace in South Asia. India and
Pakistan, despite our difficult
h i s t o r y, c o n f r o n t s i m i l a r
c h a l l e n g e s o f p o v e r t y,
unemployment and climate
change, especially the threat of
melting glaciers and scarcity of
water for hundreds of millions of
our citizens.
I wanted to normalize relations
with India through trade and by
settling the Kashmir dispute, the
foremost impediment to the
normalization of relations
between us.
On July 26, 2018, in my first
televised address to Pakistan
after winning the elections, I
stated we wanted peace with
India and if it took one step
forward, we would take two
steps. After that, a meeting
between our two foreign
ministers was arranged on the
sidelines of the United Nations
General Assembly session in
September 2018, but India
canceled the meeting. That
September I also wrote my first
of three letters to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi calling for
dialogue and peace.
Unfortunately, all my efforts to
start a dialogue for peace were
rebuffed by India. Initially, we
assumed that Mr. Modi’s
increasingly hard-line positions
and his rhetoric against Pakistan
were aimed to whip up a
nationalist frenzy among the
Indian voters with an eye on the
Indian elections in May.
On Feb. 14, a few months before
those elections, a young
Kashmiri man carried out a
suicide attack against Indian
troops in Indian-occupied
K a s h m i r. T h e I n d i a n
government promptly blamed
Pakistan.
We asked for evidence, but Mr.
Modi sent Indian Air Force
fighter planes across the border
to Pakistan. Our Air Force
brought down an Indian plane
and captured the pilot. We struck
back to signal we could defend
ourselves but chose not to strike
a target that would cause loss of
life. I made a conscious decision
to show that Pakistan had no
intent of aggravating the conflict
between two nuclear-armed
states. We returned the captured
Indian pilot, with no
preconditions.
On May 23, after Mr. Modi’s re-
election, I congratulated him and
hoped we could work for “peace,
progress and prosperity in South
Asia.” In June, I sent another
letter to Mr. Modi offering
dialogue to work toward peace.
Again, India chose not to
respond. And we found out that
while I was making peace
overtures, India had been
lobbying to get Pakistan placed
on the “blacklist” at the
intergovernmental Financial
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 21
Action Task Force, which could
lead to severe economic
sanctions and push us toward
bankruptcy.
Evidently Mr. Modi had
mistaken our desire for peace in
a nuclear neighborhood as
appeasement. We were not
simply up against a hostile
government. We were up against
a “New India”, which is
governed by leaders and a party
that are the products of the Hindu
supremacist mother ship,
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,
or the RSS.
The Indian prime minister and
several ministers of his
government continue to be
members of the RSS, whose
founding fathers expressed their
admiration for Benito Mussolini
and Adolf Hitler. Mr. Modi has
written with great love and
reverence about M.S.
Golwalkar, the second supreme
leader of the RSS, and has
referred to Mr. Golwakar as
“Pujiniya Shri Guruji (Guru
Worthy of Worship).”
M r. M o d i ’s g u r u w r o t e
admiringly about the Final
S o l u t i o n i n “ We , O u r
Nationhood Defined,” his 1939
 Article
book: “To keep up the purity of
the race and its culture, Germany
shocked the world by her
purging the country of the
Semitic Races – the Jews.
National pride at its highest has
been manifested here. Germany
has also shown how well-nigh
impossible it is for races and
cultures, having differences
going to the root, to be
assimilated into one united
whole, a good lesson for us in
Hindustan for us to learn and
profit by.”
I had hoped that being elected
prime minister might lead Mr.
Modi to cast aside his old ways
as the chief
minister of the
Indian state of
Gujarat, when he
gained global
notoriety for the
2002 pogrom
against local
Muslims on his
watch and was
denied a visa to
travel to the
U n i t e d St a t e s
u n d e r i t s
International
R e l i g i o u s
Freedom Act - a
list of visa denials that included
associates of Slobodan
Milosevic.
Mr. Modi’s first term as prime
minister had been marked by
lynching of Muslims, Christians
and Dalits by extremist Hindu
mobs. In Indian-occupied
Kashmir, we have witnessed
increased state violence against
defiant Kashmiris. Pellet-firing
shotguns were introduced and
aimed at the eyes of young
Kashmiri protesters, blinding
hundreds.
On Aug. 5, in its most brazen and
egregious move, Mr. Modi’s
government altered the status of
Indian-occupied Kashmir
through the revocation of
Articles 370 and 35A of the
Indian Constitution. The move is
illegal under the Constitution of
India, but more importantly, it is
a violation of the United Nations
Security Council resolutions on
Kashmir and the Shimla
Agreement between India and
Pakistan.
And Mr. Modi’s “New India”
chose to do this by imposing a
military curfew in Kashmir,
imprisoning its population in
their homes and cutting off their
phone, internet and television
connections, rendering them
without news of the world or
their loved ones. The siege was
followed by a purge: Thousands
of Kashmiris have been arrested
and thrown into prisons across
India. A bloodbath is feared in
Kashmir when the curfew is
lifted. Already, Kashmiris
coming out in defiance of the
curfew are being shot and killed.
If the world does nothing to stop
the Indian assault on Kashmir
and its people, there will be
consequences for the whole
world as two nuclear-armed
states get ever closer to a direct
military confrontation. India’s
defense minister has issued a
not-so-veiled nuclear threat to
Pakistan by saying that the
future of India’s “no first use”
policy on nuclear weapons will
“depend on circumstances”.
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 22
Similar statements have been
made by Indian leaders
periodically. Pakistan has long
viewed India’s “no first use”
claims with skepticism.
With the nuclear shadow
hovering over South Asia, we
realize that Pakistan and India
have to move out of a zero-sum
mind-set to begin dialogue on
Kashmir, various strategic
matters and trade. On Kashmir,
the dialogue must include all
stakeholders, especially the
Kashmiris. We have already
prepared multiple options that
can be worked on while
honoring the right to self-
determination the
Kashmiris were
promised by the
Security Council
resolutions and
India’s first prime
m i n i s t e r ,
Jawaharlal Nehru.
Through dialogue
and negotiations,
the stakeholders
can arrive at a
viable solution to
end the decades of
suffering of the
Kashmiri people
and move toward
a stable and just peace in the
region. But dialogue can start
only when India reverses its
illegal annexation of Kashmir,
ends the curfew and lockdown,
and withdraws its troops to the
barracks.
It is imperative that the
international community think
beyond trade and business
advantages. World War II
happened because of
appeasement at Munich. A
similar threat looms over the
world again, but this time under
the nuclear shadow.
(Imran Khan is the Prime
Minister of Pakistan. The article
was published in The New York
Times)
 Report
Wo r l d l e a d e r s , g l o b a l
organisations and think tanks
expressing serious concern over
the escalation between Pakistan
and India following New
Delhi’s inhuman actions in
occupied Kashmir warned that
the specter of nuclear war
haunts tensions between the
two archrivals and the disputed
territory of Kashmir could
provide the spark that lights
South Asia’s nuclear fuse. They
asked the two countries to
maintain maximum
restraint and avoid any
escalation in occupied
Kashmir.
On the other hand, people
around the globe held
demonstrations to register
their protest against
inhuman treatment meted
out to the people of
occupied Kashmir, which
was put under strict
clampdown by Narendra
Modi-led communal
government in New Delhi
on August 05 when it
announced scrapping of
Article 370 of the Indian
Constitution that granted
special status to the territory.
The United Nations Security
Council held a consultative
meeting in New York on August
16, 2019 to discuss Pakistan’s
request for debate on India’s act
to change the disputed status of
Jammu and Kashmir.
The closed door meeting was
held under “Pakistan-India”
agenda item to decide how to
proceed further on the issue.
The UN political department
briefed the Security Council on
situation in occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan Foreign Minister,
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, had
written a letter to the President
of UN Security Council,
seeking a meeting of the highest
World Body after India
abolished the special status of
occupied Kashmir.
Subsequently, China supported
Pakistan’s request for holding
the meeting.
This was for the first time in
fifty years that the UN Security
Council held an exclusive
meeting on Kashmir.
After the UNSC meeting, China
said that Jammu and Kashmir
was an internationally-
recognised dispute, which
should be resolved according to
the UN resolution. China’s
representative at the United
Nations while talking to
newsmen in New York after the
meeting of UN Security
Council on Kashmir said that
India’s unilateral step of
changing special status of
occupied Kashmir had
aggravated the situation in the
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 23
region. He urged Pakistan and
India to resolve the Kashmir
dispute peacefully.
Thousands of Canadians
packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan
Philip Square on August 19 to
raise their voice in support of
the oppressed people of
occupied Kashmir.
Organised by Friends of
Kashmir, Canada, people from
all walks of life and belonging
to all faiths attended the protest
demonstration. They included
Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and
people of other faiths. Young
and old, children as well as
people in wheelchairs were
there to lend support to their
Kashmiri brothers and sisters.
Indian Nobel laureate, Dr
Amartya Sen, in a media
interview in New Delhi on
August 19 vehemently
criticised the Narendra Modi-
led government’s move on
Kashmir saying as an Indian he
is not proud of the fact that India
has lost the reputation of being a
democratic country on the
 Report
grounds of action that it has
taken in Kashmir.
The supreme leader of Iran,
Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei,
in a meeting with Iranian
President, Hassan Rouhani, and
his cabinet members in Tehran
on August 21 expressed grave
concern about the situation in
occupied Kashmir. He called
upon the Indian government to
adopt a fair policy towards the
Muslims of occupied Kashmir.
Genocide Watch, a US-based
organisation, issued a genocide
alert on August 22 for occupied
Kashmir in the wake of India’s
clampdown following
revocation of its special status.
A big rally was taken out in
Qom city of Iran on August 23
against the increase in Indian
atrocities in occupied Kashmir.
The rally, which started from
Al-Quds Mosque, was
participated by Kashmiri
students and a large number of
Iranian people.
Even major opposition parties
in India held a demonstration at
Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on
August 24 against the continued
clampdown in occupied
Kashmir and demanded
immediate release of political
leaders and restoration of
communication services in the
territory. Top opposition figures
addressed the protest, which
was organised by Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam, a
regional party from the
southern state of Tamil Nadu.
On the same day, members of
Turkish non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) gathered
in front of the Indian Embassy
in Ankara to express solidarity
with the oppressed people of
occupied Kashmir.
Meanwhile, a US-based think-
tank, Stratfor, warned the
international community that
the specter of nuclear war
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 24
haunts tensions between India
and Pakistan and the disputed
territory of Kashmir could
provide the spark that lights
South Asia’s nuclear fuse.
S t r a t f o r, a g e o p o l i t i c a l
intelligence platform based in
Austin, Texas, in a report also
disputed the classification of
the Kashmir issue as India’s
‘internal affair’ or a ‘bilateral’
issue between India and
Pakistan.
The Southall Multicultural
Community in London
organised a peaceful walk on
August 25 to express solidarity
with the people of occupied
Kashmir suffering immensely
due to the curfew and other
restrictions imposed by the
Indian authorities.
The US President, Donald
Trump, repeatedly offered for
mediation on the explosive
situation in Kashmir and said he
will do the best he can to
mediate between the two sides.
“I will do the best I can to
mediate,” he said while talking
to reporters in the White House.
Meanwhile, a senior official of
the US State Department
admitted that the abrogation of
special status of Kashmir by
India has external
 Report
ramifications. “We continue to
be very concerned by reports of
detentions and continued
restrictions on the residents of
the region. We urge respect for
individual rights, compliance
with legal procedures and an
inclusive dialogue with those
affected,” the official said.
The UN Secretary General,
Antonio Guterres, during his
meeting with the Indian Prime
Minister, Narendra Modi, on
the sidelines of the G7 Summit
in Biarritz, France, on August
27 urged India and Pakistan to
avoid any escalation in
Kashmir.
The European
U n i o n
spokesperson for
foreign affairs and
security policy,
Maja Kocijancic,
in a press briefing
in Brussels on
August 27 said, the
EU supports a
political solution
between India and
Pakistan over
Kashmir, which in
our view remains
the only way to resolve a long-
standing dispute that causes
instability and insecurity in the
region.
The EU foreign policy chief,
Federica Mogherini, called
upon India and Pakistan to
avoid an escalation of tension in
Kashmir, Kocijancic said.
French President, Emmanuel
Macron, in a statement after his
talks with the Indian Prime
Minister, Narendra Modi, in
Paris on August 22, asked India
and Pakistan to resolve the
longstanding Kashmir dispute
through dialogue. He said it is
the responsibility of both sides
to avoid any degradation which
might lead to further escalation.
Meanwhile, a large number of
Kashmiris and their
sympathisers gathered outside
the Indian Embassy in
Washington and held a protest
demonstration against the
continued curfew and
communication blackout
imposed by India in occupied
Kashmir.
The Kashmir Council Europe
(KCEU) organised a sit-in and a
bicycle rally in Brussels - the
Headquarters of the European
Union - on August 28 against
the Indian brutalities in
occupied Kashmir.
The General Secretariat of the
O rg a n i s a t i o n o f I s l a m i c
Cooperation (OIC) in a
statement issued in Jeddah on
August 31 reaffirmed the
internationally-recognised
status of the Kashmir dispute,
rejecting the Indian
government’s claim that the
matter is a bilateral issue
between New Delhi and
Islamabad. It called for final
disposition of the dispute
through a UN-supervised
plebiscite.
On the other hand, world human
rights watchdog, Amnesty
International asked the Indian
government to immediately
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 25
release all political leaders in
occupied Kashmir and put an
end to the deliberate silencing
of voices in the territory.
Aakar Patel, head of Amnesty
International India-chapter, in a
statement said, “Life has been
derailed for the people of
Jammu and Kashmir. The
communication blockade and
security clampdown, the
alleged detention of political
leaders and restrictions on
media to report have created an
information black hole in
Jammu and Kashmir, a region
which has witnessed serious
human rights violations in the
past.”
Senior Indian
journalist, Barkha
Dutt, in a report after
visiting occupied
Kashmir pointed out
that the situation in
the territory was
worsening with
every passing day.
She said that the
Kashmiris were
suffering immensely
d u e t o
communication
blackout as they were unable to
talk to their dear ones and the
number of arrested persons by
the Indian forces was not
known.
US Senator and Democratic
Presidential Candidate, Bernie
Sanders, addressing the 56th
Convention of Islamic Society
of North America on September
01 expressed concern about the
miserable plight of the
Kashmiris due to continued
lockdown in occupied Kashmir.
The European Parliament's
Committee on Foreign Affairs
(AFET) in a meeting in
Brussels on September 02
demanded of the Indian
 Report
government to immediately lift
curfew in occupied Kashmir
that had created humanitarian
crisis in the valley. Expressing
serious concern over the
continued lockdown,
suspension of all
communication means and
media blackout in the Muslim-
majority territory, the European
Parliament Members strongly
criticised India and condemned
the Modi-led government for its
brutal action that had brought
life to standstill in the valley.
The MEPs also demanded of
India to hold dialogue with
Pakistan, adding that the
European Union and the
European Parliament should
issue a reactionary statement on
the situation in occupied
Kashmir as soon as possible.
The EU meeting took place
despite Indian efforts to get it
canceled. Indian External
Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar,
visited Brussels and met with
High Representative of the EU
for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy, Federica Mogherini.
According to reports, the Indian
minister tried to scuttle the
efforts to raise the issue of
Kashmir in the European
Parliament but failed.
The British Foreign Secretary,
Dominic Raab, on September
03 said that allegations of
human rights violations in
occupied Kashmir after India
revoked the special status of the
territory must be thoroughly,
promptly and transparently
investigated. Dominic Raab
told Members of Parliament in
the House of Commons that he
had raised the concerns with the
I n d i a n E x t e r n a l A ff a i r s
Minister, S Jaishankar. He
stressed that the issue of human
rights is an
international
issue and the
UK expects
internationall
y recognised
human rights
t o b e
complied
with and
respected in
occupied
Kashmir.
The UN High
Commissioner for Human
Rights, Michelle Bachelet,
addressing the 42nd session of
Human Rights Council on
September 09, 2019, expressed
deep concern over the impact of
recent actions of the Indian
government on the human
rights of Kashmiris, including
restrictions on internet
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 26
communications and peaceful
assembly, and the detention of
political leaders and activists.
The UN rights chief asked India
to lift the lockdown to ensure
people’s access to basic
necessities. She said it is
important that the people of
Kashmir are consulted and
engaged in any decision-
making process that has an
impact on their future.
Pakistan Foreign Minister,
Shah Mahmood Qureshi,
delivering a joint statement by
Pakistan on behalf of over 50
countries from across various
regions in the UNHRC session
on September 10 said that the
worsening human rights
situation in the territory
required urgent attention of the
Human Rights Council and
human rights mechanisms. The
statement discussed at length
the brutal measures taken by
India especially after the
scrapping of the special status
of occupied Kashmir and called
for immediate lifting of curfew,
ending of communications
blackout and release of
arbitrarily detained people.
(KI report)
 Chronology
Report
A chronological account of
developments on Kashmir (157)
KMS Research Desk
2014
April 29: The puppet authorities
put central Kashmir’s Srinagar,
Budgam and Ganderbal districts
under a thick security blanket on
the eve of the so-called polling.
In Srinagar, barricades and
checkpoints are set up at various
places, while Indian troops and
police personnel are seen
frisking pedestrians and
vehicles.
The Chairman of All Parties
Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz
Umar Farooq, the veteran
Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Gilani,
and other pro-freedom leaders
including Muhammad Yasin
Malik and Shabbir Ahmed Shah
appeal to the people of
S r i n a g a r ’s s o - c a l l e d
parliamentary constituency to
boycott the sham polls. Mirwaiz
Umar Farooq and Syed Ali
Gilani give a call for shutdown
in the areas where polling is to
be held. The strike is aimed at
conveying the message to the
world that the farcical elections
under Indian Constitution
cannot be an alternative to the
Kashmiris’ right to self-
determination.
Syed Ali Gilani remains under
house arrest while over six
hundred Kashmiris including
resistance leaders, Muhammad
Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed
Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan,
Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Zafar Akbar
Butt, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza,
Syed Bashir Andrabi,
Muhammad Yousuf Naqash,
Firdous Ahmed Shah and Ayaz
Akbar, are lodged in different
police stations. The action is
taken to prevent the leaders from
running election boycott
campaign in the Kashmir valley.
Complete shutdown is observed
in Kralpora and Machuwa areas
of Budgam district while people
stage protests in Baramulla town
against the arrest of youth.
April 30: The farcical
parliamentary elections in
S r i n a g a r, B u d g a m a n d
Ganderbal districts, are marked
by complete strike, call for
which is given by the APHC
Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq, the veteran Hurriyat
leader, Syed Ali Gilani, and
other pro-freedom leaders
including Muhammad Yasin
Malik and Shabbir Ahmed Shah.
The strike is aimed at conveying
the message to the world that the
sham polls cannot be a substitute
to the Kashmiris’ right to self-
determination.
The puppet authorities deploy
more than 35,000 military and
paramilitary personnel in
S r i n a g a r, B u d g a m a n d
Ganderbal districts in the name
of conducting polls. Clashes
between protesters and the
personnel of Indian forces are
witnessed in Rainawari,
Nowhatta, Soura, Firdousabad,
Kangan, Batwina, Tulmulla and
Saloora areas, where Indian
troops use teargas shells to
disperse the protesters.
The polling stations in Srinagar
and many areas of Ganderbal
and Budgam give a deserted
look as in many polling booths
no one comes to cast vote while
in some booths only a few voters
are witnessed. In some areas, the
occupation authorities with the
help of Indian troops forcibly
drag people to the polling
booths. Indian Army vehicles
are seen moving in different
villages threatening people to
come out of their homes and cast
votes.
The authorities continue to place
Hurriyat leaders, Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq, Syed Ali Gilani,
Maulana Abbas Ansari, Agha
Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-
Safvi and Muhammad Ashraf
Sehrai under house arrest while
over 1,500 Kashmiris including
resistance leaders, Muhammad
Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed
Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan,
Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Zafar Akbar
Butt, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza,
Syed Bashir Andrabi, Hilal
A h m e d Wa r, M u h a m m a d
SEPTEMBER 2019 27
 Chronology
Yousuf Naqash, Firdous Ahmed
Shah and Ayaz Akbar, are
lodged in different police
stations.
In Islamabad, a declaration
passed at an All Parties Kashmir
Conference of the Kashmiri
organisations express solidarity
with the oppressed people of
occupied Kashmir in their just
liberation struggle. It appeals to
the world community to impress
upon India to stop its state
terrorism in the occupied
territory and resolve the
Kashmir dispute in accordance
with the Kashmiris’ aspirations.
The Kashmir Youth Forum
holds a seminar in Islamabad on
the sham polls in occupied
Kashmir. The event is addressed
by Ahmed Qureshi, Dr Mansoor
Afridi, Shaikh Tajammul-ul-
Islam and Shaista Safi. The
speakers say that the polls are
being held in occupied Kashmir
to mislead the world into
believing that Jammu and
Kashmir is no more a dispute.
May 01: Indian troops in their
unabated acts of state terrorism
martyr 12 Kashmiris in the
month of April. Indian troops
and police personnel injure 243
persons by using brute force and
firing teargas shells and pellets
against peaceful protesters
while 1,898 civilians are
arrested during the period.
Indian paramilitary personnel
destroy 4 residential houses and
disgrace 5 women in the month.
Complete shutdown is observed
in occupied Kashmir against the
killing of a youth in the
indiscriminate firing of Indian
troops on peaceful protesters in
Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar.
Call for the shutdown is given by
the All Parties Hurriyat
Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz
Umar Farooq, the veteran
Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Gilani,
and other Hurriyat leaders
including Muhammad Yasin
Malik and Shabbir Ahmed Shah.
All shops, business
establishments and educational
institutions remain closed while
traffic is off the road.
The puppet authorities impose
stringent curfew in several parts
of Srinagar city besides
deploying Indian troops and
police personnel in strength to
prevent people from holding
demonstrations against the
killing.
People stage demonstrations in
Bandipora, Baramulla,
Pulwama and other areas to
protest against the murder of the
youth. Indian troops use brute
force to disperse the protesters,
injuring several of them.
The puppet authorities continue
to place Hurriyat leaders,
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali
Gilani, Maulana Abbas Ansari,
Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi
Al-Safvi and Muhammad
Ashraf Sehrai under house
arrest while Muhammad Yasin
Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah,
Nayeem Ahmed Khan,
Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Zafar Akbar
Butt, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza,
Syed Bashir Andrabi, Hilal
Ahmed War, Muhammad
Yousuf Naqash, Firdous Ahmed
Shah and Ayaz Akbar are lodged
in different police stations.
Compiled by: Showkat Ali
To be continued...
SEPTEMBER 2019 28
 Report
Beauty thy name is
The Neelum Valley
The Neelum
Valley is a 144km
long bow-shaped
deeply forested
region in Azad
Jammu and
Kashmir. Named
after the river
Neelum, which is
famous for its
crystal bluish
water, it is
situated in the North and
North-East of Muzaffarabad,
running parallel to Kaghan
Valley. The two valleys are
only separated by snow-
covered peaks, some over
4000m above sea level.
Excellent scenic beauty,
panoramic views, towering
hills on both sides of the noisy
and gushing Neelum River,
lush green forests, enchanting
streams and attractive
surroundings make the
Neelum Valley very attractive.
The area is ideal for trekking.
A fair weather road opens the
valley to tourists up to Kel,
155km from Muzaffarabad.
Neelum Valley is one of the
most beautiful places in
Pakistan. Neelum River adds
to the beauty of the Valley.
Peoples from all around the
world and from Pakistan come
here to enjoy the beauty of the
Valley. There are many hotels
and restaurants available in
the Valley.
Tourist points of Neelum Valley
Athmuqam: It is the sub-
divisional headquarters of the
area. It is a small city situated
at a height of around 1371m.
The name Athmuqam means
8th station, derived from the
number of stages from both
Muzaffarabad and Kel to
Athmuqam. It is an attractive
place known for its variety of
fruit. Athmuqam had the
status of tehsil before
partition. Its official name was
formerly Karna. Folk stories
tell of a very advanced and
congested city, which was
ruined by a flood, and this is
supported by some
archaeological evidence.
Neelum: This hamlet is located
at a distance of about 9km
from Athmuqam on the right
bank of the Neelum River at
around 1524m above sea level
with fascinating scenery.
Sharda: It is a breath-taking
green spot at an altitude of
1981m. Shardi and Nardi are
two mountain peaks
overlooking the Valley. It has a
captivating landscape with
numerous springs and hill-
sides covered with trees. On
the right bank, opposite the
Sharda, Neelum River is
joined by the Surgan Nullah
along which a track leads to
Nurinar Pass and through it to
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 29
the Kaghan
Valley. Ruins of
an old Buddhist
University can
also be found in
Sharda.
Kel: It is a small
valley situated
at a height of
2097m. This is
a n o t h e r
picturesque
place in the Neelum Valley.
The Shounter Nullah joins
river Neelum at this place.
Kundal Shahi: It is situated at a
distance of 74km from
Muzaffarabad and about 5km
from Authmuqam. Here,
Jagran Nullah joins river
Neelum. It is the entrance to
Jagran Valley.
Kutton (Jagran Valley): The
bewitching beauty of Kutton
permeated in the radius of
10km makes Jagran Valley.
The area is 16km from Kundal
Shahi.
Salkhala: About 3km ahead of
Kundal Shahi, there is another
secluded spot of tourist
interest of Salkhala across
river Neelum where a trout
hatchery has been established.
Dowarian: It is situated about
13km from Neelum at an
altitude of 1615m. Mountains
full of conifer trees surround
it.
Halmat: The area from Kel to
Taobat, the last geographical
boundary of Azad Jammu and
Kashmir, is called the Halmat.
The border village is a
fascinating but unexplored
sight.
 Literature
Report
The Merciful Burglar
Pandit was well-known in the gentry
of the country. He belonged to an
ancient family of repute who
claimed many “dars” in their lineage
- kardars, chakaldars, tehsildars and
what not. Of course, he himself was a
prominent zamindar owning many
khirwars of paddy land. He was
naturally referred to respectfully as
"the Pandit," or "Pandit Saheb"
among those associated with him in
different capacities. It was believed
that wealth earned during several
generations in his family lay hidden
in the underground cellars in his
house. He had immense credit
throughout the country among the
businessmen as well as the populace.
He maintained and even excelled the
traditions of his ancestors in the
observance of all formalities and
spent lavishly on such festivals as the
Shivaratri, the new year's day and the
shradha ceremonies of his parents.
The Pandit did not hold any public
appointment at the time to which this
narrative refers. In fact he had been
waiting for several years for the
chance of securing such an
appointment through the good
offices of his friends. He had been
deprived of an important position by
the previous governor not because he
had in any way failed to discharge
his duties and obligations properly
but because one of his cousins had
out of envy and malice hatched a plot
against the Pandit and he was
cashiered out, much to his chagrin.
He had already covered some ground
in rehabilitating himself in the good
opinion of the new governor and felt
satisfied with his progress.
His financial position was by no
means enviable in spite of what his
cousins said that he had enriched
himself with the wealth of Kuvera
during the tenure of his office. Land
was the only source of his income
now and agricultural produce was
worth little in the market. In the
absence of any settled land policy in
the State cultivators by no means felt
(A Kashmiri Folklore)
attracted towards the "good earth." A
man took to agriculture only when he
had no other source of livelihood,
and more often than not he gave up
farming as he could not spare out of
his meager earnings enough money
to pay his rent. A cultivator had to
discharge other obligations towards
the landlord besides paying the usual
rent.
After having lost the official
patronage the Pandit did not reduce
the lavish expenditure of his
household. He felt that it would go
against the traditions of his family
established by his illustrious
forefathers. He was also afraid that
such a step would prejudice his
credit in the country. He maintained
a retinue of servants and maids some
of whom had been in his service for
decades, and there was the usual
stable: ponies with their grooms and
cows with their milkmen.
This scale of expenditure was in no
way compatible with his present
means and the Pandit was not a little
worried on this account. He had been
postponing the solemnization of his
daughter's wedding on the pretext
that the stars were not propitious for
such an undertaking. But he was not
unaware of the whispers of a rumor
set afloat by his cousins that the
postponement was due to his
insolvency. This was a serious
matter as far as he was concerned, for
these rumors were more piercing
than shafts of steel, and he was much
upset on this account.
Misfortunes never come alone. In
the wake of all these troubles came
one day the astounding discovery
that one of his servants in whom he
reposed considerable trust had
forsaken him and taken service with
the person he dreaded most, i.e. his
cousin. Along with the servant went
all the domestic secrets naturally,
and this was the worst of it. The
domestic had broadcast that he no
longer wanted to burden a man
moving about on his crutches. This
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 30
was, therefore, the reason why the
wedding of his daughter could not be
postponed further. One night along
with his wife he was ransacking the
secret chambers holding their
valuables when she fell down with a
shriek, somebody had stolen into
these chambers and made away with
many valuable ornaments. The
Pandit, therefore, went over the
accounts of income and expenditure
for the last several years and cursed
his negligence which had suffered
the servant above referred to and
possibly his accomplices too, to
defraud him systematically. His
efforts to have the servant brought to
book resulted in his receiving threats
from the ungrateful wretch, threats
of dire consequences. As the servant
was guided by his cousin, and the
latter never lost a chance in trying to
do him down, the Pandit considered
it expedient not to press the matter
further for the time being.
The cousin was not satisfied with the
success of his plans in bringing about
the downfall of the Pandit. Nothing
would give him (the cousin) greater
pleasure than to raze him to the
ground completely. He gladly
accepted the suggestion of the
erstwhile servant of the Pandit that a
clever burglar be egged on to subject
the house of the enemy to his
depredations, and their choice fell on
Layuq, the captain of thieves. Armed
with the directions about the interior
of the house, the underground cellars
and the types of locks used, Layuq
set about his task with
circumspection and thoroughness
for which he was known and
dreaded.
The residence of the Pandit was built
in the mediaeval style on the pattern
of a square. The three-storied house
built on all the four sides enclosed a
space several hundred yards in area.
There was one main entrance which
led to the interior of this citadel, but,
in addition, there were two or three
inlets used by the domestics. When
the situation of law and order in the
 Literature
country was not quite normal, all the
entrances were well guarded;
peaceful times, however, admitted of
some relaxation in these and other
matters.
One night when the Pandit repaired
as usual to his bedroom for repose
his wife expressed her anxiety on the
postponement of their daughter's
wedding. The Pandit was usually a
man of fortitude and forbearance and
would not worry his wife with their
deteriorating financial condition. On
this occasion, however, he felt that
he should reveal the real position to
her and gave her an account of the
various machinations of his enemies
chief among whom was his cousin,
who brought about his ruin.
"I have been facing odds with a heart
of steel," said he to her, "and have
consistently avoided every chance
that might give you even a glimpse
of the fearful chasm on the brink of
which we perilously stand. Who
would not like to discharge his
obligations towards his children? I
should have solemnized the wedding
of our daughter several years back if
I had the wherewithal for the
purpose. The last blow has been the
villainous act of the ungrateful
servant who, false to his salt, not
only left our service but robbed us of
valuables worth a good deal and
must have betrayed our secrets to the
very enemy who brought about my
downfall."
"But," retorted his wife, "why have
you been holding these secrets away
from me? If I deserve to enjoy your
prosperity, am I not worthy of
sharing with you the sorrows that
befall the family? We have no doubt
fallen on lean days, but you could
dispose of what remains of the
jewelry given to me by my father to
meet the expenses of the wedding."
"That, dear, is exactly what I don't
propose to do. We have fallen on
very bad times, but we have still
some credit in the country which I
don't want to strain further. In fact it
is very painful for me to keep up the
presence of living according to the
traditions of my illustrious
ancestors. But the moment it is
known outside how miserable we
are, there will be no end to
difficulties and troubles for us.
Those who speak to us respectfully
will assume insulting attitudes, and
those who sue the hand of our
daughter in marriage will spurn it if
and when offered. The governor,
who seems to be favorably inclined
towards me and to whom I am
looking for gainful patronage will
dismiss such an idea from his mind.
Above all, our cousin will make
merry to see us exposed thus.
Therefore, dear lady, it is not feasible
to dispose of any of our scanty
valuables to meet our expenses and
thus strike at the roots of the prestige
and credit that we still enjoy.... "
The Pandit gave an account of his
troubles to his spouse in such a
pathetic tone that she wondered if
she could have, knowing all this,
been able to stand the mental strain.
On this occasion, however, she
broke down and wept bitterly and
cursed her stars that by a hostile
concatenation had conspired to ruin
them just on the eve of the wedding
of their daughter. "The nose of our
respectability is cut, thanks to our
cousins whose thirst for vengeance
upon us will not be slaked till they
see us utterly ruined... hic... hic...
hic...."
Her lord tried to console her but even
he realized that for a number of years
his affairs had been going from bad
to worse without a single exception
whereas all the blows aimed at him
by his cousin were effective. So far,
he had never allowed his anxieties
and woe to have the upper hand over
KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 31
his reserve, fortitude and manliness.
But the proximity of his wife had a
softening influence over him; his
emotions ran riot inside him and
considering himself sheltered from
prying eyes, he also broke down.
But they were not alone actually.
Adjacent to their bedroom was the
strong room where they kept their
valuables, and the insidious Layuq
was already lodged there, egged on
by the agents of the Pandit's cousin.
He knew the Pandit for a man of
considerable strength of mind. He
had been given exaggerated
accounts of his wealth by the agents
of his cousin and in his view all was
grist that came to his mill. But he was
the unobserved spectator of a scene
which none else would have the
opportunity of knowing at first hand
and he could see that it was not
dressed up for his sake. He regretted
that he should have undertaken the
adventure on the wrong and
misleading advice of malicious
persons. He waited for some time till
the lord and lady of the house were
fast asleep, and slinked away as
quietly and mysteriously as he had
entered.
The cousin of the Pandit expected to
add another feather to his glory by
having his house swept clean of
valuables and other ancestral
property. Though the thing had not
happened, he expected the good
news to come the next morning.
What actually took place was in
astounding contrast to his
expectation. The next morning he
found that all his chests were rifled
and that his house was despoiled of
the valuables. They could not easily
compute the extent of the loss
suffered.
The same morning the Pandit found
in his bedroom a small compact bag
which he had never seen before. He
examined its contents in the presence
of his wife and they were surprised to
find in it valuables worth thousands.
Along with it was a sort of a cipher
code which was not easily
intelligible.
When deciphered the message read,
"Layuq is not a mere burglar. He has
a heart!”
 Report
Feedback

Letters to editor
Nuclear flashpoint squarely counter to international students and human rights
Indian government must end the norms and standards. India has defenders. Unfortunately, this
restrictions it imposed on done everything to befool the suppression of Muslim majority
freedom of expression, access to international community but of occupied Kashmir has met
information and peaceful miserably failed as strong with mass acclaim in India. One
protests in occupied Kashmir reactions are pouring in from has to go as far back as Serbia
around the world over the grim under Slobodan Milosevic to
since August 05, 2019 when it recall a similarly ecstatic
repealed special status of the situation in the occupied
upsurge of vengeful nationalism.
territory. Such measures would territory where people remain
India’s press and television
exacerbate tensions in South imprisoned in their own homes
channels are jumping up and
Asia and with both Pakistan and for weeks together.
down and cheering. Many Indian
India nuclear-armed countries, While access to information of
journalists have joined social
occupied Kashmir has become a the people of occupied Kashmir
media trolls in assaulting
flashpoint in the region. remains hindered in this critical
western outlets such as the BBC
A complete communications situation, their access to
and The New York Times for
blackout is in place in occupied emergency services including
reporting in an objective manner
Kashmir since August 05, with healthcare and education also
the Kashmiris’ anger and
internet access, mobile phone remains highly restricted.
resentment against the repeal of
networks, and cable and Further, the unprecedented
special status of occupied
Kashmiri television channels clampdown has also hampered
Kashmir. Near-unanimous
snapped. The shutdown of the the public access to information
backing from India’s media
internet and telecommunication about demonstrations and
seems to have emboldened Modi
networks without justification clashes between the protesters
government, which even
by the Indian government is and the Indian forces which
prevented a delegation of
inconsistent with the could have been vital for the
opposition leaders including
fundamental norms of necessity safety and protection of the
Rahul Gandhi from visiting the
and proportionality. Such people. India should end this
occupied territory to observe the
blackout is a form of collective crackdown at the earliest and
ground situation.
punishment of the people of restore all the basic freedoms
However, the encouraging sign
Jammu and Kashmir, without and rights of the people of
is that coverage of occupied
even a pretext of a precipitatingoccupied Kashmir.
Kashmir in the international
offence and the so-called largestSohail Agha
media has been uniformly
democracy of the world should Karachi
critical of the Indian
be ashamed of its actions. Military siege government, mainly caused by
Sajjad Kareem With each passing day, India’s its demonstrably false assertions
Lahore crackdown on Kashmir is echoed by India’s media that
Kashmiris imprisoned intensifying. Not content with
things are “normal” in the
Dear editor, depriving the entire snapping telephone lines and territory. Front-page pictures of
population of occupied Kashmir internet services and imposing heavily armed soldiers on empty
of all their basic rights of stringent curfew, Narendra streets of Kashmir make clear
Modi-led communal Indian
freedom of expression, opinion, government has imprisoned that the region is effectively
movement and peaceful thousands of Kashmiris under military siege.
assembly and protest by India for including Hurriyat leaders, Junaid Khan
an indefinite period runs political activists, businessmen, Peshawar

KASHMIR INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2019 32

 Atrocities by Indian troops
(January 1989 to August 31, 2019)

Total killings 95,438

Custodial killings 7,128

Civilians arrested 158,048

Structures destroyed/damaged 109,409

Women widowed 22,909

Children orphaned 107,778

Women gangraped/molested 11,140

Including custodial killings

Source: Kashmir Media Service (www.kmsnews.org)

 Reminder to Indian people!
He was your leader; Congress is your party ...
but his promise still remains unfulfilled

“If, after a proper plebiscite, the people of Kashmir said 'we do not want to be with
India', we are committed to accept it though it might pain us. We will not send an army
against them. We will accept that, however hurt we might feel about it, we will change
the Constitution, if necessary.
“India is a great country and Kashmir is almost in the heart of Asia. There is an
enormous difference not only geographically but in all kinds of facts there. Do you
think (in dealing with Kashmir) you are dealing with a part of UP or Bihar or Gujrat?”

(Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru’s statement in

Indian Parliament, June 26, 1952)

All Parties Hurriyet Conference Azad Jammu And Kashmir

P. O. Box No. 2617, GPO Islamabad.
Ph: 0092-51-4861457, Fax: 0092-51-4861458 (Islamabad)
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Email: kashmirinsight@yahoo.com