Youm-e-Istehsal: Timeline of one year of siege in Occupied Kashmir

LAHORE (Web Desk) - Today marks a year since India unilaterally abrogated the limited autonomy of occupied Kashmir by scrapping article 370 and 35-A of its constitution. Revocation of the article being party’s election manifesto, the Hindu nationalist BJP had been shouting about revoking Kashmir’s ‘special status’ since way before its first general election victory.

In its first election manifesto, the party said it would reconsider the key clause, where the Occupied Kashmir was given autonomy during its temporary accession to India in 1947’s partition, after due consultation with stakeholders. However, the Hindutva-led BJP removed the part about consultation with stakeholders in its second manifesto, just before their thumping re-election.

Volatile Indian-occupied Kashmir had been under fascist military siege ever since losing its autonomy and has endured all kinds of inhumane torture by Indian occupation forces.

Scrapping of article 370 and 35-A wasn’t an end to the sufferings of Kashmiris, as claimed by the Modi government, but beginning of a new era of hardships. India’s unilateral constitutional amendment was accompanied by a severe crackdown in occupied valley with India sending in hundreds of thousands of troops to join the already present half a million troops to tighten the previously imposed sweeping curfew.

Thousands of oppressed Kashmiris had been arrested and tortured in Kashmir ever since India’s illegal move. The occupied valley has been completely cut-off with the rest of the world virtually. The international media is not allowed in the region to report the facts on ground so as to unveil the dirty face of India.

It is a believed fact that India aspires to change the demography of Muslim majority India-occupied Kashmir by allowing Hindus to purchase land and settle in the valley, which can be confirmed by BJP MLA Vikram Singh Saini’s statement on August 7 that now anyone can get married to a fair Kashmiri girl. As per article 370, the occupied Jammu Kashmir held autonomy in the region, i.e. no outsiders were allowed to buy land or settle permanently in the region.

Here is a timeline of events that emerged since August 2019:

It all started when on August 2, Indian authorities asked tourists to leave Occupied Kashmir owing to so-called “terror threats” in the region while posting around 25,000 military troops in the volatile region to join the already present military force comprising half a million personnel.

Situation started heating when on August 3, India fired illegal cluster bombs - prohibited under the Geneva Convention — killing two civilians and wounding 11 others in Azad Kashmir.

On August 5, tensions rose in the disputed valley when bill to abolish article 370 presented by Interior Minister Amit Shah was approved by Rajya Sabha. New Delhi one-sidedly striped occupied Kashmir of its limited autonomy followed by a sweeping lockdown in the region, deployment of tens of thousands of additional troops, and arrests of some 500 Kashmiri leaders, where a communication blackout and Kashmiris being cut off from the rest of the world proved to be the final nail in the coffin.

Pakistan immediately rejected India’s illegal move as Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter between New Delhi and Islamabad and one party cannot take any decision without consultation with other.

On August 6, The European Union, OIC and Turkey urged India and Pakistan to reduce tensions; China sided with Pakistan and said that India s move harmed its sovereignty. On same day, India s Parliament also approved the bill to abrogate Kashmir’s autonomy.

On August 7, the United States said it was ready to mediate direct talks between Pakistan and India on Kashmir dispute while Pakistan expelled Indian envoy downgrading all ties with the arch rival. Indian troops killed a protester, arrested 100 others in the occupied Kashmir.

In a move to express solidarity with Kashmiris, Pakistan banned Indian movies in its theatres on August 8.

On August 9, Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres called for restraint in the occupied Kashmir asking Pakistan and India to settle the dispute peacefully. Meanwhile, India s BJP MLA Vikram Singh Saini sparked a new controversy with his statement that “Indians can now marry fair Kashmiri girls” in an attempt to change demography of the Muslim majority region. Indian atrocities continue in occupied Kashmir as Pakistan stops train service to India.

On August 10, Iran urged Pakistan, India to avoid "hasty decisions" in Kashmir while Pakistan cut road links with India.

On August 13, Indian Supreme Court decided in support of so-called security crackdown and communications blackout in Kashmir to further the mayhem in the region. Sane voices rise from within India urging Modi in a letter to call off the inhumane crackdown. Protests intensify in the oppressed region on the first day of Eidul Azha.

On August 15, Pro-independence Kashmiris and Pakistan observe India s Independence Day as "Black Day" as Indian activists’ fact finding report states that the situation in Kashmir is not normal contrary to Indian claims of normalcy in the region.

India detained local Kashmiri journalist Irfan Ahmad Malik for reporting facts. London rallied to express solidarity with Kashmiris against Indian oppression. Three Pakistani and five Indian soldiers killed on Kashmir de facto border as a result of Indian misadventures across Line of Control.

As a result of Pakistan and China’s joint efforts, UN Security Council holds closed-door session to discuss Kashmir tensions on August 16. US President Trump once again urged Pakistan and India to reduce tensions in Kashmir.

US President Donald Trump telephones PM Imran Khan and India’s Modi to discuss Kashmir dispute.

On August 20, Pakistan decided to take Kashmir dispute to the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

On August 21, sixteen days after India’s illegal move, Kashmiri Resistance leaders urged people to defy ban and join a mass march after Friday prayers. US President Donald Trump once again offered to mediate on Kashmir issue which was denied by India saying it was their internal matter.

On August 22, Pakistan sought action against Indian actress and UN goodwill ambassador Priyanka Chopra for controversial tweet supporting war. PM Imran Khan ruled out talks with India expressing fear of massacre in the disputed valley.

On August 23, Srinagar authorities blocked protest march of Kashmiris to a UN office.

On August 24, Senior Kashmiri resistance leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani announced five-point "plan of action" against India s illegal move whereas India bared opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and his delegation from entering Kashmir.

On August 27, hundreds of thousands of AJK students march against Indian brutalities.

On August 30, Tens of thousands of Pakistanis carry out Kashmir Hour protests across the country on PM Imran Khan s call.

On September 1, anti-India protests continue in Pakistan as thousands of protesters rally in port city of Karachi.

On September 2, European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs discussed the issue of escalating unrest in Indian occupied Kashmir in a meeting attended by AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider.

On September 4, Saudi Arabia and UAE send their top diplomats in Pakistan in a bid to defuse tensions with India over Kashmir.

On September 5, Amnesty International finally began its campaign against India s inhumane lockdown in occupied Kashmir.

On September 10, FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that international community should take action as India was driving the two nuclear-armed countries "into an accidental war," as New Delhi had turned Kashmir into the largest prison on this planet.

Reports surface of Indian soldiers intensifying brutalities in the region; beating dozens of Kashmiri villagers, subjecting them to electric shocks, forcing them to eat and drink contaminated food, poisoning their food supplies and threaten to marry their females.

As a result of PM Imran Khan’s efforts on diplomatic front, US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman James P McGovern urges US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on September 11 to assert the Indian government to immediately end the communications blackout in the region.

On September 13, PM Imran Khan held Kashmir rally in Azad Jammu Kashmir warning the world against consequences of India s crackdown in Kashmir.

On September 14, Nobel laureate and activist Malala Yousafzai expressed deep concern over reports of thousands of people, including children, arbitrarily arrested and jailed in Kashmir.

On September 16, India arrested its puppet Kashmiri leader Farooq Abdullah, a three-time chief minister of the state under the Public Safety Act.

On September 24, five Indian women released a fact-finding report stating that Indian military forces are illegally taking Kashmiri teens away from their homes and torturing them. The report claimed that 13,000 teenagers had been detained.

On September 24, PM Imran Khan briefed US President Donald Trump on Kashmir situation in New York. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during the United Nation General Assembly’s speech said that the peace, stability and prosperity of South Asia could not be separated from the Kashmir issue.

US President Trump once again showed willingness to mediate on Kashmir if asked by both Pakistan and India on September 26.

On September 27, PM Imran Khan advocates Kashmiris’ sufferings and warns of bloodbath in Kashmir in landmark UNGA speech whereas Indian PM Narendra Modi avoided mentioning Kashmir in his speech.

On September 28, Kashmiris rejoice PM Imran Khan s strong speech in UN General Assembly with firecrackers.

On October 1st, Malaysia became the 4th country after Pakistan, Turkey and China to raise the Kashmir issue at 74th United Nations General Assembly session. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said India had illegally invaded and occupied the country of Jammu Kashmir.

On same day, another US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanded the ongoing blockade in Kashmir to end terming it violation of human rights.

On October 3, dozens of local journalists protested against India’s communications blackout, declaring the suspension of internet and mobile phone services in the region was government’s attempt to silence local media.

On October 7, US House panel urged India to end lockdown in Kashmir

On October 9, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressing support for Pakistan said that he was closely watching the situation in occupied Kashmir and would always side with Pakistan in issues related to its core interests.

October 16 marked as the deadliest day in occupied Kashmir since abrogation of autonomy as Indian troops killed three pro-independence Kashmiris in the region. Communication blackout continued after brief restoration of mobile phone signals, women activists in Kashmir arrested. Indian shelling across the Line of Control killed three Pakistani civilians.

On October 22, Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad said he would not retract his criticism of Indian atrocities in disputed Kashmir despite Indian traders call for boycott of Malaysian palm oil.

On October 24, Pakistan welcomed US Congressional hearing in the Asia-Pacific sub-committee to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

On October 27, Pakistan denied permission to Indian PM Modi to fly through its airspace due to ongoing grave human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.

On October 29, United Nations human rights office expressed extreme concern that the population of occupied Kashmir was deprived of a wide range of human rights.

November 12 marked as 100 days of Seige in Occupied Kashmir. Top resistance leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani urged PM Imran Khan to respond to India s annexation of occupied Kashmir by dissolving Tashkent, Shimla and Lahore agreements, and re-designate de facto border to ceasefire line.

On January 9, 2020, European envoys turned down India’s invitation of Occupied Kashmir’s two-day tour.

On January 10, 2020, Indian Apex Court gave its government 1-week time to reconsider all kind of restrictions in Occupied Kashmir.

On January 15, 2020, UN Security Council reviewed the humanitarian situation in Occupied Kashmir during its meeting.

On January 26, 2020, Kashmiris observed Indian Democratic Day as Black Day.

On January 27, 2020, European Union Parliament held a debate on the resolution regarding to India’s unilateral move in Occupied Kashmir and decided to hold polls.

On February 25, 2020, US President Donald Trump reiterated his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir issue.

On March 26, 2020, British House of Commons held a debate on Indian Occupied Kashmir’s siege.

On June 15, 2020, Chinese soldiers killed 20 Indian troops in a deadly clash on their Ladakh border, the first combat deaths since the 1970s.

On July 2, 2020, world saw the fascist face of Indian forces after an elderly Kashmiri man was shot dead in front of 3-year –old grandson erupting fresh wave of protests in Occupied valley.

One year of siege had dire effects on the economic situation, with half a million jobs cut in the occupied region by the end of 2019 as per the Kashmir chamber of commerce.

Coronavirus lockdown have further added to the miseries of already locked down people of Kashmir.

The education system in occupied Jammu Kashmir has been disrupted badly for a year.

The world has turned a blind eye to the plights of Kashmiris in India-occupied Kashmir only for the sake of economic and trade benefits. This silence of the world has intensified the suppression of Muslims and other religious minorities in parts of India, a clear example is India’s Citizenship Amendment Act.

Drafted by: Syeda Sana Rasool