Pakistan strongly condemns extra-judicial killing of five Kashmiris by Indian forces

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned the extra-judicial killing of another five Kashmiris by Indian occupation forces in the Kulgam area.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian troops killed five more youth during their cordon and search operations in Pombai and Gopalpora areas of Kulgam district on Wednesday, taking the number of slain youth in the territory to nine in the last four days.

The troops had brutally killed four civilians in a fake encounter in Hyderpora area of Srinagar on Monday night. Indian forces have martyred at least 30 Kashmiris in fake encounters or so-called “cordon and search operations” since October 1, 2021.

In a strong reaction to the Narendra Modi government’s state terrorism, the Foreign Office said the killing spree of innocent Kashmiris perpetuated by Indian occupation forces continues with shameless impunity.

It further exposes the unspeakable violence being perpetrated by the “Hindutva” inspired extremist BJP-RSS combination that has turned IoK into an inferno where no one, not even innocent civilians, professionals, women, children and the elderly are safe from the state-terrorism of the occupation forces, it added.

The FO condemned the inhuman and callous practice of the Indian occupation forces of not handing over the mortal remains of the martyred Kashmiris to their families in various instances.

“Usurping the fundamental rights of Kashmiri families by denying them the right of proper burial of martyrs further exposes the current Indian government’s moral bankruptcy,” it said.

The FO said the killings of Kashmiri civilians by Indian occupation forces also vindicates the irrefutable facts provided by Pakistan recently in a comprehensive dossier exposing human rights violations and war crimes committed by Indian occupation forces in IoK.

It said Pakistan called on the international community to take immediate notice of the Indian state-terrorism in occupied Kashmir and holds it accountable for the egregious human rights violations of innocent Kashmiris.

“Pakistan also urges the international community to play its role for a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people for durable peace and stability in the region,” it said.

- ‘Give me my husband’s body’ -

The families of those killed by Indian forces have accused them of murdering them in "cold blood" after taking them into a business centre to help the search for insurgents.

"Today it happened to us, tomorrow it can happen to anyone," said Abdul Majeed Bhat, whose brother Mohammad owned the building and was killed in the incident.

"We’ll not rest until my brother’s body is returned to us," Bhat told AFP. "I appeal to every Kashmiri to protest for the same."

Wednesday’s protest continued after dark with a candlelight vigil, despite the freezing winter cold in Srinagar.

Humaira Mudasir, whose husband Mudasir Ahmed Gul was also killed Monday, was among the crowd and cradling her one-year-old daughter in her lap.

"Give me my husband’s body. Give me proof of his involvement (with militants). He was murdered unarmed," she told reporters.