Despite the passage of seven decades, the Kashmiri people have not got their right to self-determination, Tanveerul Islam

 The United Nations guaranteed the right of self-determination to the Kashmiri people 76 years ago, but that promise remains a futile act to this day.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Muzaffarabad (UrduPoint News International/ Pakistan Point News - NNI. 05 January 2025) Tanveer-ul-Islam, President of Savera Foundation and former Chairman of the United Jihad Council, has appealed to world leaders and institutions to fulfill their promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Despite the passage of seven decades, the Kashmiri people have not got their right to self-determination. The United Nations had guaranteed the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people 76 years ago, but that promise remains a futile act to this day. Savera Foundation is peacefully struggling for the rights and welfare of the Kashmiri people.

The Kashmiri people are trapped in a web of oppression and apathy where their voice is suppressed and their rights are ignored. Savera Foundation President Tanveer-ul-Islam described the abrogation of Article 370 by India in August 2019 as destructive for the political and cultural identity of Jammu and Kashmir.

The abrogation of Article 370 was a serious turning point for the Kashmiri people, which not only took away their autonomy but also opened a new chapter of oppression, he said. This era is characterized by atrocities such as unjustified arrests, enforced disappearances, custodial killings and blinding of innocent citizens with globally banned pellet guns.

Tanveerul Islam, President of Savera Foundation and former Chairman of the United Jihad Council, said that after 1989, due to oppression in occupied Kashmir, they were forced to take refuge in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan. The Kashmiri people are not only facing oppression but also their families are suffering from problems like social boycott, threats and travel restrictions. Highlighting the lack of educational and employment opportunities for Kashmiri youth, he said, “Indian policies have reduced opportunities for Kashmiri Muslims by more than 50 percent, due to which the younger generation is in despair.

President Savera Foundation described Kashmir as the most militarized region in the world, where over 700,000 Indian soldiers continue to perpetrate atrocities under draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The growing military presence in occupied Kashmir has created a culture of human rights violations, he called on the United Nations and the international community to fulfill their responsibilities and take immediate action. This is not just a regional conflict but a human tragedy and a global human rights crisis. The world’s silence has further exacerbated the atrocities, Savera Foundation reiterated its unwavering commitment to the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people, saying that the sacrifices of over half a million Kashmiris demand justice, which was promised to them in 1949. He further said that it is time for the world to raise its voice in favor of the Kashmiri people and ensure their rights.