24th Year of Publication

Vol: 24 No. 10
Monthly October 2018

INSIGHT

Pakistan highlights Kashmiris demand right Hurriyat leaders urge

Kashmir dispute at to self-determination at UN chief to play role
UN General Assembly UN in New York in Kashmir settlement
 Unwavering support to Kashmir cause

“Pakistan will continue its unconditional and full support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir
and we will make all out efforts at every level to resolve the issue according to the resolutions of
United Nations. The resolution of conflict of Jammu and Kashmir is essential to have an
enduring relationship between Pakistan and India. Denying the Kashmiris the right to self-
determination is condemnable and international community should play its role in the
resolution of the issue.”

(President Dr Arif Alvi in his maiden speech to

the Parliament in Islamabad on September 19, 2018))

“The unresolved Kashmir dispute poses a great threat to peace and stability in the region. Peace
can never be established in South Asia unless the issue of Kashmir is resolved in accordance with
the UN resolutions. It is India that in plain sight operates state terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
and it is a matter of great concern that humanity is being crushed and human rights are being
violated all across India.”

(Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the

73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in
New York on September 29, 2018)
Kashmir Insight OCTOBER 2018
Editor: M Raza Malik From The Editor's Desk
The people of occupied Kashmir have been waging for the
Sub Editor: Benazir Khan past over seven decades a heroic struggle for securing their
Art Editor: M.Haroon inalienable right to self-determination promised to them
by the UN through various resolutions of its Security
Council. During all this period, India has employed all
CONTENTS
kinds of brutal tactics but failed to intimidate the
Editorial Kashmiris into submission and they are determined to
India’s unrealistic attitude threat to peace . . . . . . 02 take their ongoing freedom movement to its logical
conclusion.
Cover Story
Unfortunately, the world community particularly the
Indian atrocities continue unabated in IOK. . . . . . . 03 UN has remained a silent spectator to the worst kind of
Reports state terrorism unleashed by India in occupied Kashmir to
punish the Kashmiris for challenging its rule. However,
Pakistan highlights Kashmir dispute at UN General
for the past some time, many encouraging developments
Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07 have been witnessed at different fora regarding the
situation of occupied Kashmir and the lingering Kashmir
OIC Contact Group on Kashmir calls for impartial
dispute, generating a ray of hope among the oppressed
plebiscite in J&K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Kashmiris.
Kashmiris demand right to self-determination The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, before
embarking on a recent visit to India expressed serious
at UN in New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 concern over the prevailing grim situation of occupied
Hurriyat leaders hail remarks of new Kashmir. The new UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights, Michelle Bachelet, addressing the UN Human
UN Human Rights chief on Kashmir . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Rights Council session in Geneva on September 10
Pictorial regretted that a report on Kashmir released by her
Images speak louder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 predecessor, Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussain, was not followed.
Zeid Ra’ad Al-Husain in his report, first of its kind, issued
Human rights situation
in June this year had expressed serious concern over the
HR violations by Indian troops in IOK grave human rights violations by the Indian troops in
during September2018 occupied Kashmir and called for setting up of a
Commission of Inquiry to investigate these abuses.
Raies Ahmed Mir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Similarly, the debate in the UK Parliament and inquiries
Reports initiated by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on
Hurriyat leaders urge UN chief to Kashmir in the British Parliament regarding the situation
of Kashmir, last year, the visit of a British Parliamentary
play role in Kashmir settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 delegation to Azad Jammu and Kashmir in September this
UNHRC session : World attention drawn year and conferences and seminars on Kashmir in
different parts of the world are some promising
towards HR abuses in IOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 developments which show that the world is, though with a
Kashmir issue highlighted in UK, Belgium . . . . . . . 26 slow speed, becoming sensitive to the Kashmir situation.
Chronology However, the need of the hour is that the international
community should not confine it to mere lip service but
A chronological account of developments take practical steps towards the settlement of the lingering
on Kashmir (146) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the
Kashmiri people to mitigate their sufferings.
Beauty thy name is
Shalimar Bagh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Printed & Published by
Literature All Parties Hurriyat Conference AJK
House # 389-B, Street # 85, I/8-4 Islamabad.
The tale of a princess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Ph: +92-51-4861457, Fax: +92-51-4861458
Email: kashmirinsight@yahoo.com
Feedback Printers: Web Brothers, Printers, Publishers
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Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Ph:051-5566348, Fax: 051-5516142
Editorial
India’s unrealistic attitude threat to peace
The unresolved Kashmir
dispute has remained a
serious threat to the peace of
the world in general and the
South Asia in particular for
the past over seven decades.
While Pakistan has always
advocated settlement of this
festering sore of the region,
India’s intransigent attitude
on the dispute has been the
main impediment in the way
of achieving this goal. New
Delhi is frustrating all efforts
aimed at addressing the issue
and using all kinds of brutal
tactics to victimise the
Kashmiri people for resisting
its illegal hold on Jammu and
Kashmir.
The Prime Minister of
Pakistan, Imran Khan, after
his party’s victory in general
elections and later after
assuming the office, this year,
has been repeatedly calling
for resumption of dialogue
between Pakistan and India to
settle their all outstanding
issues including the Kashmir
dispute for the sake of peace
and prosperity in South Asia.
He even wrote a letter to his
Indian counterpart, Narendra
Modi, suggesting a meeting
between the foreign ministers
of the two countries on the
sidelines of the recent session
of the UN General Assembly.
India spurned the offer even
after accepting it initially.
New Delhi rejected the
dialogue offer blaming the
Pakistani troops of mutilating
the body of an Indian soldier
near the Line of Control.
It was not for the first time that
New Delhi stalled a peace
initiative. It has always
looked for excuses to create
tension on one pretext or the
other like Indian Parliament
attack in 2001, Samjhauta
Express blasts in 2007 and
Mumbai attacks in 2008. After
these incidents India had
blamed that Pakistan and its
intelligence agencies carried
out these attacks but investi-
gations later showed that
Indian government, secret
agencies or extremist Hindu
elements were behind these
inhuman acts. The relations
between the two nuclear
powers of the region remain
tense since the suspension of
dialogue process in August
2014. At that time too, it was
India which called off the
Foreign Secretary level talks
with Pakistan on the pretext of
meetings between the
Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders
KASHMIR INSIGHT
and the then Pakistan High
Commissioner to India,
Abdul Basit, in New Delhi just
ahead of the talks scheduled
for August 25 in Islamabad.
These actions are an ample
proof of the fact that India
does not want a tension-free
South Asia and wants to keep
the region on the boil. The
world community must
understand that New Delhi’s
unrealistic approach could
prove detrimental for the
peace and stability of the
entire world.
Pakistani leader-
ship’s positive
gestures had created
a high level of
optimism among all
the people calling for
peaceful resolution
of the Kashmir dispute
through dialogue for
ensuring cordial relations
between the two countries
and peace and stability in the
South Asian region. But their
dreams were shattered when
India unexpectedly
announced the cancellation of
the meeting between the
foreign ministers.
Indian leadership needs to
acknowledge the reality that
dialogue is the only method of
resolving the issues. It must
give up its unrealistic
approach and resume the
talks process with Pakistan at
the earliest to settle all their
longstanding disputes
including the Kashmir
conflict.
OCTOBER 2018 02
Cover Story
Indian atrocities continue unabated in IOK
It is a common phenomenon that
injustices and infractions of basic
human rights by a state on its
own people create a sense of
alienation among the people
even against a legitimate
government. And the situation
in occupied Kashmir where
India has usurped all the basic
rights of the people through
tyrannical means should not be
difficult to comprehend.
Kashmiris are facing heinous
acts of brutalities and atrocities
at the hands of Indian troops.
History is witness to the most
horrific situation in the occupied
territory where people have
been rendering unparalleled
sacrifices for the past over seven
decades to get rid of India’s
illegal occupation of their
homeland.
Since the beginning of the
ongoing mass uprising triggered
by the extrajudicial killing of
popular youth leader, Burhan
Wani, in July 2016, the people of
occupied Kashmir have intensi-
fied their demand for an end to
India’s illegal rule spanned over
71 long and bloody years. The
prevailing situation in occupied
Kashmir is appalling as there
seems to be no let up in the
brutalities of Indian troops. The
troops in their unabated acts of
state terrorism martyred 42
Kashmiris including a woman
during the month of September
2018. Of those martyred, one
youth was killed in a fake
encounter. The killings rendered
five women widowed and
twelve children orphaned.
During the period, 231 people
were injured in the firing of
bullets, pellets and teargas shells
on peaceful protesters and
Muharram mourners by the
troops and police personnel
while 399 people including
Hurriyat leaders, activists and
youth were arrested. The
authorities also booked over a
dozen Hurriyat leaders and
activists including Shabbir
Ahmed Dar, Hakeem Abdul
KASHMIR INSIGHT
Rasheed, Ghulam Ahmed
Gulzar, Shakeel Ahmed
Bakhshi, Maulana Saleem
Ahmed Dar, Firdous Ahmed
Shah, Aadil Hussain, Ishfaq
Ahmed Parray, Gowhar Hassan
Parray, Aijaz Ahmed Mir, Bilal
Ahmed Parray, Peer Ghulam
Mohi-ud-Din, Advocate
Hussain Ahmed and a partially
pellet-blinded youth, Suhail
Ahmed Tramboo, under black
law, Public Safety Act, and
lodged them in different jails in
Jammu region. The troops,
paramilitary and police
personnel destroyed or
damaged sixty five residential
houses and molested fourteen
women during cordon and
search operations in the month.
The authorities even disallowed
people to perform their religious
rites by frequently imposing
curfews and other restrictions in
Srinagar, Budgam, Islamabad,
Bijbehara, Shopian, Kulgam,
Islamabad and other areas to
prevent the masses from staging
OCTOBER 2018 03
Cover Story
anti-India demonstrations and
taking out Muharram proces-
sions. Despite restrictions and
curfew, Muharram processions
and anti-India protests were
held across the occupied
territory. The Muharram
mourners were subjected to
brute force. Traditionally main
procession of 8th Muharram
used to start in Srinagar from
Shaheed Gunj and culminate at
Dalgate after passing through
different areas while the proces-
sion of 10th Muharram usually
started from Aabi Guzar and
culminated at Zadibal.
However, the occupation
authorities banned these
processions in 1989 and now
only small mourning rallies are
allowed in selected areas.
On September 21, Juma prayers
could not be held at the historic
Jamia Masjid in Srinagar and
other mosques in the city due to
the restrictions imposed by the
occupation authorities to stop
the Aashura (the 10th day of
Muharram - the 1st month of
Islamic calendar) processions.
The authorities had created
curfew-like situation in
Nowhatta, Khanyar, Safa Kadal,
Maharaj Gunj, Kothibagh and
Rainawari areas while
deploying Indian troops and
paramilitary personnel in
strength across the city.
However, hundreds of
mourners defying restrictions
reached Lal Chowk and tried to
take out an Aashura procession.
Indian police fired teargas shells
on the mourners near Badshah
Chowk and arrested several of
them including Hurriyat leader,
Nisar Hussain Rathar. The police
subjected to brute force another
procession taken out from Aabi
Guzar area resulting in the
injuries to several mourners.
Earlier, the authorities placed
the Chairman of Hurriyat forum,
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, under
KASHMIR INSIGHT
house arrest in Srinagar. He was
scheduled to deliver a sermon in
Narwara area of the city on the
occasion of Aashura and pay
tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain
(RA) - the grandson of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon
him) - and other martyrs of
Karbala. The police arrested the
Chairman of Islami Tanzeem-e-
Azadi Jammu and Kashmir,
Abdul Samad Inqilabi, after
raiding his house in Pattan area
of Baramulla. The police also
vandalised the household goods
and harassed the inmates.
On September 20, the 9th of
Muharram, the Jammu and
Kashmir Anjuman Sharie Shain
organised mourning proces-
sions at different places across
the Kashmir Valley. Indian
police and troops fired teargas
shells to disperse the mourners.
On September 19, the 8th of
Muharram, Indian police used
brute force to stop people from
taking out a Muharram proces-
sion in Srinagar. The police also
arrested several mourners on the
occasion. An eyewitness said
that scores of mourners took out
a march from Dalgate area of
Srinagar and tried to proceed
towards the city centre, Lal
Chowk. However, the police
OCTOBER 2018 04
Cover Story
swung into action and fired
teargas shells to disperse them.
On September 18, the 7th of
Muharram, Indian police had
arrested several Muharram
mourners after subjecting them
to torture when they tried to take
out a procession in Srinagar.
Dozens of mourners led by the
Chairman of Tehreek-e-Wahdat-
e-Islami, Nisar Husain Rathar,
defying restrictions imposed by
the occupation authorities tried
to march from Batamaloo
towards Shaheed Gunj in
Srinagar. However, before the
mourners could reach Shaheed
Gunj, Indian police used brute
force and took many of them into
custody. Those arrested
included Hurriyat leaders, Nisar
Hussain Rathar, Syed Imtiaz
Haider, Syed Muzaffar Rizvi, Ali
Muhammad Rathar, Fayaz
Ahmed Butt, Shabbir Hussain
Dar, Muhammad Afzal Bahar,
Muhammad Ibrahim, Qamar
Zaman, Imtiaz Hussain,
Muhammad Qasim Butt,
Muhammad Baqir, Ali
Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad
Ali Armoo, Amjad Hussain,
Shaheen Abbas, Ghulam Mohi-
ud-Din, Sheikh Mushtaq
Hussain Aakhoon, Manzoor
Hussain Aakhoon, Abbas
Hussain Dar, Aadil Hussain
Ganai and Syed Mudassir Shah.
A video of a Muharram proces-
sion in Srinagar went viral on
social media which garnered
millions of views wherein a
youth can be heard praising the
popular martyred youth leader,
Burhan Wani, who was killed by
the Indian troops in a fake
encounter in Kokernag area of
Islamabad district on July 8,
2016. In the video, the youth
addressing the mourners
described Burhan Wani as the
true follower of Hazrat Imam
Hussain (RA) who was martyred
in the plains of Karbala 1400
years ago.
KASHMIR INSIGHT
The President of Jammu and
Kashmir Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen,
Maulana Masroor Abbas,
addressing a Muharram proces-
sion in Srinagar said that Burhan
Muzaffar Wani was a martyr for
every Kashmiri and those who
sacrificed their lives for the
Kashmir freedom movement
were an inseparable part of the
mission of Hazrat Imam Hussain
(RA). He said this while reacting
to the reports that the Indian
police were mulling to arrest the
mourners who raised the
portrait of Burhan Wani during
the Muharram processions.
The Indian brutalities did not
end at the infringement of basic
human rights of the people of the
occupied territory. The Indian
troops even did not spare the
families of the martyred youth.
The family members of a
martyred youth, Sameer Ahmed
Butt alias Sameer Tiger, said that
the troops torched their house in
Pulwama district. Muhammad
Maqbool, father of the martyred,
told media that the Indian
soldiers on the night of
September 26 torched their
house by sprinkling petrol
around it. Muhammad Maqbool
asked why he was being targeted
even after the killing of his son.
“Continued harassment and
OCTOBER 2018 05
Cover Story
damaging our property has
become a routine for the Indian
troops,” he said.
The family of noted freedom
activist, Riyaz Naikoo, was held
hostage by the Indian police to
force him to surrender before the
police. This kind of incidents in
which the Indian state has
started involving in its dirty
game the families of those who
are fighting against its tyranny
depict the extent the Indian
mindset has reached.
The extreme of Indian atrocities
could also be gauged from the
fact that a youth identified as
Muhammad Saleem Malik was
killed when the troops resorted
to unprovoked firing on his
house in Noorbagh area of
Srinagar. Even the participants
of his funeral procession were
subjected to firing of pellets and
teargas shelling by the Indian
forces’ personnel.
On the other hand, the Joint
Resistance Leadership
comprising Syed Ali Gilani,
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and
Muhammad Yasin Malik
strongly condemned the fresh
wave of atrocities and spree of
arrests and harassment
unleashed by the Indian forces’
personnel in the occupied
territory.
The resistance leaders in a joint
statement issued in Srinagar
deplored the anti-people policies
being employed by the ruling
dispensation in New Delhi to
suppress the Kashmiris’ ongoing
struggle for securing their right
to self-determination. “Freedom
sentiment runs deep in the heart
of every citizen of Kashmir and
no power can break the resolve
of people and the resistance
leadership of Kashmir,” they
said.
The leaders said that the use of
excessive force against the
KASHMIR INSIGHT
people participating in peaceful
religious gatherings like
Muharram processions had
exposed the fascist and biased
mentality of the Indian authori-
ties towards the Muslims. They
said on one hand, the occupation
authorities facilitate the two-
month long Amarnath Yatra but
on the other, they thrash the
Muharram mourners for
organising peaceful religious
processions.
India has usurped all basic
freedoms and rights of the
people of occupied Kashmir and
has been subjecting them to the
worst kind of state terrorism for
the past over seven decades.
However, the Indian brutalities
have failed to subdue the
Kashmiris’ freedom sentiment
and they are committed to take
their liberation movement to its
logical conclusion against all
odds. The world community
must hold India accountable for
its brutal actions in the occupied
territory and impress upon it to
give the Kashmiri people all
their basic rights including the
inalienable right to self-
determination it had promised
several decades ago.
Humayun Aziz Sandeela
OCTOBER 2018 06
Report
Pakistan highlights Kashmir dispute at UN General Assembly
Hurriyat leaders hail Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s address
Foreign Minister, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi, while
representing Pakistan at the 73rd
session of the United Nations
General Assembly in New York
on September 29, 2018 said that
the unresolved Kashmir dispute
posed a great threat to the peace
and stability in the region.
In his address to the UNGA, he
said that permanent peace could
not be established in South Asia
without settling the Kashmir
dispute in accordance with the
resolutions of the UN Security
Council and the aspirations of
the Kashmiri people. He said that
India had unleashed the worst
kind of state terrorism in occu-
pied Kashmir and it was a matter
of great concern that “humanity
was being crushed and human
rights were being violated all
across India”.
“Peace in the south Asian region
directly relies on a just settlement
of the Kashmir dispute in the
light of the UNSC resolutions
and the will of the people of
Kashmir,” he maintained.
The foreign minister said that
India must stop human rights
abuses in occupied Kashmir and
ceasefire violations at the Line of
Control and the Working
Boundary. He said, Pakistan
wants to engage with all coun-
tries and neighbours on the basis
of equality.
Briefing the audience about the
issues with India, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi made it clear
that Pakistan wanted to resolve
all outstanding issues with India
through dialogue but the Indian
government had wasted an
opportunity for the third time -
each time with flimsy excuses.
The foreign minister warned that
India will face a severe reaction if
it attempted any misadventure
against Pakistan. “India has been
sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan
and Indian spy Kulbhushan
Jadhav was involved in planning
and sponsoring terrorist activi-
ties in Pakistan on behalf of the
Indian government,” he said,
while informing the world about
direct Indian involvement in
sponsoring terrorist activities
inside Pakistan.
He maintained that Jadhav has
provided the Pakistani authori-
KASHMIR INSIGHT
ties with the most incriminating
evidence and confessed that he
was an Indian state-sponsored
terrorist (among many).
Underscoring that there was a
need now, more than ever, for all
nations to be truly united he said,
“The Kashmiri boy losing his
sight and future to a pellet gun,
the Syrian dad seeing his child
drown, the Palestinian girl
suffocating under siege, the
African migrant risking all for a
better life, continue to look
towards the UN for support. Let
us not fail them any longer.”
The foreign minister addressed
the audience in Urdu, the
National Language of Pakistan.
Earlier on September 23, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi speaking at
an interactive session with the
Pakistani-American community
at the Pakistani Embassy in
Washington highlighted the
plight of the people of occupied
Kashmir and stressed upon the
overseas Pakistanis to play their
role in projecting the Kashmir
dispute at the global level.
On September 25, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi called on the
US Congressman, Joe Wilson, a
Republican member of the
House of Representatives from
South Carolina, in New York.
Congressman Wilson serves on
both the House Foreign Affairs
and the House Armed Services
Committees.
The foreign minister outlined
Pakistan Government's domestic
and foreign policy priorities
besides sharing Prime Minister,
Imran Khan's vision for a
peaceful neighbourhood, which
was critical to achieve the
Government's ambitious socio-
economic plans for Pakistan.
OCTOBER 2018 07
Report
On September 26, in his meeting
in New York with the British
Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs, Jeremy
Hunt, Shah Mehmood Qureshi
briefed his counterpart on the
grave human rights violations
being perpetrated by Indian
troops in occupied Kashmir. He
urged the Britain to help in
resolving the Kashmir dispute in
accordance with the aspirations
of the people of Jammu and
Kashmir.
On September 27, at the informal
meeting of the SAARC Council
of Ministers, Shah Mehmood
Qureshi maintained that
Pakistan attaches great impor-
tance to SAARC and remains
committed to its principles and
objectives. He said that it was
unfortunate that due to the
unresolved bilateral disputes
amongst the member countries,
SAARC could not achieve the
desired socio-economic coopera-
tion and prosperity in the region.
On September 28, in his meeting
with the UN Secretary General,
Antonio Guterres, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi raised the
gross human rights violations by
the Indian troops in occupied
Kashmir. He urged the UN chief
to take steps towards implemen-
tation of the resolutions of the
World Body that called for
holding of plebiscite in Jammu
and Kashmir to enable the
Kashmiris exercise their right to
self-determination to decide
their fate by themselves.
Referring to the report of the UN
High Commissioner for Human
Rights, the foreign minister
expressed grave concern over the
sufferings of the Kashmiris at the
hands of Indian occupational
forces.
He highlighted the jingoistic
rhetoric from New Delhi and
asked the UN Secretary General
to impress upon India not to
embark on any misadventure
against Pakistan. He also
KASHMIR INSIGHT
informed Antonio Guterres
about Pakistan's desire to engage
with India for resolving all
outstanding issues including the
Kashmir dispute for ensuring
durable peace in the region.
The Secretary General describing
Pakistan as a “privileged partner
of the UN” appreciated its lead
role at the UN including as a top
contributor of troops to the UN
peacekeeping missions.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi and
Antonio Guterres agreed on the
importance of regional peace
through dialogue.
On the same day, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi also met the
Foreign Minister of Niger, Kalla
Ankouraou, thanked him for his
country’s principled position on
the Kashmir dispute and its
valuable contribution as member
of the OIC Contact Group on
Jammu and Kashmir.
Reaffirming Niger’s abiding
commitment to the Kashmir
dispute, Kalla Ankouraou said
that his country would continue
to lend its strong support to the
just and legitimate cause of the
Kashmiri people.
On October 2, 2018, the Pakistan
Foreign Minister met with the US
top civilian and military brass,
including Secretary of State,
Mike Pompeo, and National
OCTOBER 2018 08
Report
Security Advisor, John Bolton, in
Washington and discussed
bilateral ties and regional
situation. During their meeting,
Shah Mehmood Qureshi and
Mike Pompeo deliberated upon
the bilateral issues and matters
pertaining to regional security.
The Pakistan Foreign Minister
said that peace in South Asia - a
common goal of both the US and
Pakistan - would remain elusive
until all disputes - including the
core issue of Kashmir - were
resolved.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi during
his visit to the US met various
world leaders and apprised them
of the Indian brutalities in
occupied Kashmir.
He also urged them
to play their role in
the peaceful resolu-
tion of the Kashmir
dispute.
The Pakistan foreign
minister addressing
a distinguished
gathering of busi-
ness leaders, think
tank analysts and
media persons
convened by
Atlantic Council
spoke at length
about Pakistan’s proactive
engagement with neighbouring
countries seeking peace and
stability in South Asia.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi also
held meetings with Ambassador
Zalmay Khalilzad, named as the
US Special Envoy for
Afghanistan who was flanked by
Ambassador Alice Wells, the US
Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for South and
Central Asian Affairs; Sheikh
Abdullah bin Ziyad, Foreign
Minister of the UAE; Sameh
Hassan Shoukry, Foreign
Minister of the Arab Republic of
Egypt; Federica Mogherini, Vice
President and High
Representative of the European
Union on Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy; Yousuf Bin
Alawi bin Abdullah, Foreign
Minister of Oman; Adel bin
Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Foreign
Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia; Taro Kono, Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Japan; Wang
Yi, State Councillor and Foreign
Minister of China and
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman
Al-Thani, Foreign Minister of
Qatar and highlighted the plight
of the people of occupied
Kashmir. These dignitaries
assured Shah Mehmood Qureshi
strong support to the legitimate
cause of the Kashmiri people.
On the other hand, Hurriyat
leaders hailed the Foreign
Minister of Pakistan, Shah
Mehmood Qureshi, for coura-
geously highlighting the
Kashmir dispute in his address at
the United Nations General
Assembly.
The Chairman of All Parties
Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali
Gilani, in a statement issued in
Srinagar said that Shah
Mehmood Qureshi’s address
had once again proved that
Pakistan was a friend and well-
wisher of the people of Jammu
and Kashmir. The APHC
Chairman while reacting to the
KASHMIR INSIGHT
Indian Foreign Minister, Sushma
Swaraj’s speech termed it as a
pack of lies, deceit, arrogance
and persistent denial of the
ground realities in Kashmir. He
said that it was due to the
arrogant mindset that India
preferred to be in denial mode
since the tragedy of Kashmir was
born in 1947. He said that India
claimed to be the largest democ-
racy of the world having a multi-
cultural society and a fast-
growing economic hub but had
no courage to accept the bare and
internationally-recognised
Kashmir dispute only because it
believed that it could crush the
Kashmiris’ legitimate liberation
struggle with its
military might.
Senior APHC
l e a d e r ,
Muhammad
Ashraf Sehrai, in
his statement
hailing Shah
M e h m o o d
Qureshi’s address
at the United
Nations General
Assembly said
that Pakistani
Foreign Minister
had boldly highlighted at the
international forum the need for
resolution of the Kashmir
dispute. He said that the
lingering dispute was a bone of
contention between the two
nuclear powers in South Asia,
Pakistan and India.
The Chairman of Jammu and
Kashmir Salvation Movement,
Zafar Akbar Butt, in a statement
also welcomed the address of
Shah Mehmood Qurershi. He
also hailed the UN Secretary
General, Antonio Guterres, for
expressing concern over the
prevailing grim situation in
occupied Kashmir.
OCTOBER 2018 09
Report
OIC Contact Group on Kashmir calls for impartial plebiscite in J&K
The Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation has demanded
holding of impartial plebiscite in
Jammu and Kashmir in
accordance with the relevant
resolutions of the United
Nations Security Council.
The demand was made during
the meeting of the OIC Contact
Group on Jammu and Kashmir
held on September 26, 2018 on
the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly session in New York.
The meeting chaired by the OIC
Secretary General, Dr Yousef bin
Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, focused
on the unabated acts of
aggression against innocent
Kashmiri civilians and gross
human rights violations by
Indian troops in occupied
Kashmir.
Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah
Mahmood Qureshi, led
Pakistan’s delegation to the
meeting. Foreign Ministers of
Azerbaijan and Turkey, the
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to
the UN and the Director General
from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Niger also attended
the meeting and delivered
speeches. Sardar Masood Khan,
the President of Azad Jammu
and Kashmir, attended the event
as the true representative of the
Kashmiri people.
In his opening remarks, the OIC
Secretary General, Dr Yousef Al-
Othaimeen, condemned the
continued killing of innocent
civilians and the recent spike of
escalating atrocities by the
Indian troops in occupied
Kashmir. He reiterated OIC’s
principled position on
supporting the people of
Kashmir in their struggle for
securing their legitimate rights
including the right to self-
determination. He emphasised
that the Kashmir dispute should
KASHMIR INSIGHT
be resolved in accordance with
the aspirations of the Kashmiri
people as promised in the UN
Security Council resolutions.
Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen
maintained that the Kashmiri
people are waging a legitimate
struggle to realise their rights
and secure freedom from the I
Indian bondage. He said that it
was a struggle that conformed
fully with the UN resolutions
and international law, therefore,
any attempt to suppress or
demean it by equating it with
terrorism holds no grounds and
is, indeed, a blatant violation of
the UN resolutions and
international law.
He also referred to the report of
the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human
Rights and endorsed the
recommendation to constitute a
Commission of Inquiry for
investigating the abuses of
human rights in Kashmir. He
also called for meaningful
dialogue between Pakistan and
India on all issues including the
Kashmir dispute. He thanked
Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran
Khan, for his commitment to
OCTOBER 2018 10
 Report
peace.
The OIC Secretary General
stressed the need to continue
efforts in using all possible
opportunities and means to
compel India to stop excessive
use of force and systematic
human rights violations in
occupied Kashmir.
The Contact Group, which
comprises Pakistan, Azerbaijan,
Niger, Saudi Arabia and Turkey,
expressed deep concern over the
grim human rights situation in
occupied Kashmir. The meeting
reaffirmed complete solidarity
of the Muslim Ummah with the
people of occupied Kashmir
over their plight
brought into light
by the June 14,
2018 report of the
Office of the UN
H i g h
Commissioner for
Human Rights.
India’s unrealistic
T h e attitude
meeting
welcomed the
recommendation
by the UN High
Commissioner to
establish a
Commission of
Inquiry to conduct
a comprehensive independent
international investigation into
the incidents of human rights
violations in occupied Kashmir.
Foreign Minister, Shah
Mahmood Qureshi, in his
statement thanked the OIC
Secretary General and foreign
ministers of other member states
of the Contact Group on Jammu
and Kashmir for their continued
support to Pakistan on the
Kashmir dispute. He briefed the
delegates on Indian acts of
continued aggression, recent
escalation of atrocities against
innocent civilians and gross
violations of human rights in
occupied Kashmir, including
gruesome incidents of killing,
rape, murder, torture and the use
of pellet guns against the people.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi
reiterated Pakistan’s principled
position to find a peaceful and
just resolution of the Kashmir
dispute. He also reaffirmed
Pakistan’s pledge to continue
moral, political and diplomatic
support to the Kashmiris in their
just struggle to secure their
inalienable right to self-
determination as promised in
numerous resolutions of the
United Nations Security
Council. The Foreign Minister
also referred to the report on
Jammu and Kashmir released by
the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human
Rights in June 2018 that had
shaken the delusion of India. The
evidence-based report on the
grave human rights situation in
o c c u p i e d K a s h m i r
recommended the establishment
of a Commission of Inquiry to
investigate the human rights
violations perpetrated by Indian
troops in occupied Kashmir.
In their statements, the Foreign
Ministers of Azerbaijan and
Turkey, the Ambassador of
KASHMIR INSIGHT
Saudi Arabia to the UN and the
Director General from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Niger expressed their support
for peaceful settlement of the
Kashmir dispute and called
upon India to observe the UN
standards enshrined in the
human rights instruments and
international law.
Sardar Masood Khan, the
President of AJK, effectively
raised the issue of grave human
rights violations being
committed by Indian troops in
occupied Kashmir. He urged the
international community,
especially the Muslim Ummah,
to impress upon
I n d i a t o
immediately halt
these abuses of
human rights and
allow the holding
of free and fair
plebiscite in
threat
J a m mtou peace
and
Kashmir as per the
relevant UN
Security Council
resolutions. He
thanked the OIC
member states
e s p e c i a l l y
members of the Contact Group
on Jammu and Kashmir for their
continued support in
highlighting the brutalities
being perpetrated by Indian
troops against the innocent
people of occupied Kashmir.
At the conclusion of the meeting,
Sardar Masood Khan presented
a memorandum to the OIC
Secretary General on behalf of
the people of Jammu and
Kashmir. The memorandum
contained the details of the
human rights violations by
Indian troops in the occupied
territory.
OCTOBER 2018 11
Report
Kashmiris demand right to self-determination at UN in New York
Hundreds of Kashmiris and their
sympathisers staged a protest
demonstration at the United
Nations Headquarters in New
York on September 30, 2018 to
impress upon the World Body to
initiate measures for granting the
people of Jammu and Kashmir
their right to self-determination.
The demonstrators were holding
placards reading, “India honour
UN pledges”, “Kashmiri lives
matter too”, “Freedom for all -
Freedom for Kashmir”, “We
demand right to self-
determination in Kashmir” and
“Wake up wake up - UN wake
up”.
The Secretary General of World
Kashmir Awareness Forum, Dr
Ghulam Nabi Fai, addressing the
participants said that there was a
high level of optimism when
India and Pakistan announced
on September 20, 2018 to hold
talks in New York on the
sidelines of the 73rd session of
the United Nations General
Assembly. “But the dreams were
shattered when Government of
India unexpectedly announced
the cancellation of these talks.”
This latest move by India, he
explained, proves that the
dispute over Kashmir cannot be
settled through bilateral talks
between New Delhi and
Islamabad. He recounted 150
failed bilateral efforts over the
past 71 years and said that the
people of Kashmir steadfastly
maintained that talks should
include their leadership along
with India and Pakistan to
explore all the possible options to
settle the Kashmir dispute, once
and for all.
Dr Imtiaz Khan, the President of
Kashmiri American Council,
said that nothing better could be
said about the situation in
occupied Kashmir. “There is
brutality, cruelty, suffering and
KASHMIR INSIGHT
pain everywhere in Kashmir. An
iron-fisted military rule has
prevailed there, featuring a
staggering 700,000 Indian
military and paramilitary
personnel. Major international
and neutral human rights
agencies have documented
harrowing human rights
violations committed by Indian
military and paramilitary
personnel,” he added.
Dr Khan called upon the United
Nations to persuade India and
Pakistan to accede international
agreements and to initiate a
meaningful dialogue among all
the parties concerned.
Sardar Abid Hussain Abid,
former Information Minister of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir,
deplored the state of human
rights and democratic values in
occupied Kashmir. He said that
Pakistan had always stood by the
Kashmiris' demand for right to
self-determination. Kashmir
issue is about honouring the
political and human rights of the
people of Kashmir in accord with
the international law, justice and
morality, he said. Sardar Abid
pointed out that the issue of
Kashmir is by no definition a
border dispute between India
OCTOBER 2018 12
Report
and Pakistan but it pertains to the
right to self-determination of 22
million people of Jammu and
Kashmir.
Sardar Haleem Khan appealed to
the United Nations to seise the
opportunity to promote an
initiative towards bringing about
conditions necessary for the
settlement of the lingering
Kashmir dispute.
Javed Rathore of Chicago said
that India's war crimes in
Kashmir were heinous. “Its army
kills civilians with impunity. The
draconian law, Armed Forces
Special Powers Act (AFSPA),
grants virtual legal immunity to
any type of war crimes against
humanity perpetrated by Indian
soldiers in Kashmir,” he said.
Imtiaz Khan from New Jersey
said that the people of Jammu
and Kashmir were the principal
stakeholders of the Kashmir
dispute and should be an integral
part of any future dialogue on the
issue between India and
Pakistan.
Amna Habeeb said that to negate
the people of Kashmir their basic
right to self-determination was a
very dangerous game,
particularly when the will and
determination for freedom had
only grown stronger with the
passage of time.
Raja Yaqoob of Chicago
appealed to the world powers to
endorse the recommendations of
the report submitted by the
United Nations High
Commissioner for Human
Rights for an impartial
investigation into the human
rights violations by Indian troops
in occupied Kashmir.
Yaseen Chohan of Chicago said
that the Indian Army was
engaged in a sustained campaign
of slaughter of civilians in
occupied Kashmir and this
brutality must end.
Sardar Sajid Khan said that the
atrocities against the civilian
population had become a routine
KASHMIR INSIGHT
in the occupied territory. He
denounced the torture and
extrajudicial killings by the
Indian forces' personnel and
appealed to the world powers to
come to the rescue of the
oppressed people of occupied
Kashmir.
Javaida Khanum from
Maryland said that India had
defied the United Nations
Security Council resolutions
calling for plebiscite in Jammu
and Kashmir for more than 70
years because it knew that the
Kashmiri people would never
vote in its favour.
Sardar Zarif Khan, Sardar
Zulfiqar Roshan, Sardar Zubair
Khan and Sardar Taj thanked the
participants who spared their
time and came from distances to
express solidarity with the
oppressed people of occupied
Kashmir.
Sardar Imtiaz Khan Garalavi
Advocate was the host of the
event.
Others who addressed the
gathering included Raja Liaqat
Kiyani, Shafiq Shah, Mian
Saqlain, Sardar Aftab Roshan,
Sardar Farooq Khan, Khalid
Faheem, Sardar Asghar Khan,
Khawaja Amjad Nawaz, Sardar
Zahid Khan, Sardar Younis,
Ghulam Ghous, Haji Shafi Khan
and Raja Mukhtar.
OCTOBER 2018 13
03-09-2018 Pulwama 08-09-2018 Srinagar 10-09-2018 Sopore

15-09-2018 Kulgam 15-09-2018 Kulgam 17-09-2018 Islamabad 18-09-2018 Srinagar

19-09-2018 Srinagar 21-09-2018 Srinagar 27-09-2018 Srinagar

Human Rights Situation
India has been resorting to the
worst kind of state terrorism in
HR violations by Indian troops
occupied Kashmir for the past in IOK during September 2018
over seven decades to suppress Compiled by Raies Ahmed Mir
the Kashmiris’ just struggle several others were injured after
aimed at achieving freedom from September 01: Indian troops Indian forces’ personnel fired
the Indian illegal occupation of killed three youth during a cordon bullets, pellets and teargas shells
their homeland. During the last and search operation in Danna on protesters in Chewkalan
71 years, the world community area of Bandipore district. Kangan area of Pulwama district.
has remained a mute spectator to The troops used brute force on Indian police roughed up a
the Indian brutalities on the protesters at Sub-District Hospital civilian, Bashir Ahmed Reshi, in
in Tral and Astan Mohalla Utersoo area of Islamabad district
Kashmiri people. However,
Kareemabad in Pulwama district and subjected him to torture.
recently many encouraging
during a cordon and search Indian troops thrashed civilians
developments have been
operation. and vandalised private property
witnessed at different fora
Indian police arrested a journalist, including vehicles in Kadgam
regarding the situation of
Asif Sultan, from Batamaloo area Imam Sahib area of Shopian
occupied Kashmir and the of Srinagar. district.
lingering Kashmir dispute,
generating a ray of hope among
the oppressed Kashmiris.
The UN Secretary General,
Antonio Guterres, ahead of his
recent visit to India expressed
serious concern over the
prevailing grim situation of
occupied Kashmir, while the
new UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Michelle
Bachelet, addressing the UN
Human Rights Council session in
Geneva on September 10 made a
strong reference to the grave
human rights violations being
committed by the Indian troops
in the occupied territory.
These are very promising September 02: At least 18 people September 05: Indian troops shot
were injured after Indian police dead a 55-year-old man at Lam
developments for the people of
fired pellets on protesters at Laddi Peer Badesar in Rajouri district
occupied Kashmir and they hope
Imam Sahib in Shopian district. and a non-Kashmiri labourer,
that solid practical measures
The police also arrested two youth Arjun Kumar, in Hajidarpora area
would be initiated by the
from the area. of Pulwama district.
international community The troops raided the house of a
The occupation authorities
particularly the UN for the freedom activist, Lateef Dar alias
slapped black law, Public Safety
settlement of the Kashmir Act, on 65-year-old, Tehreek-e- Tiger, in Dogripora Awantipora
dispute in accordance with their Hurriyat leader, Muhammad area of Pulwama district, beating
aspirations to mitigate their Ramzan Sheikh, and lodged him up the inmates and vandalising
sufferings. at Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu. the household goods.
Following is the day-to-day The police arrested four persons Indian police arrested a youth
report of the human rights from Tral and Beigpora from Jamia Masjid Mohallah in
violations by Indian troops and Awantipora areas of Pulwama Kishtwar.
police personnel in occupied district. September 06: Indian troops
Kashmir during the month of September 03: A civilian, Fayaz tortured and injured a youth,
September 2018. Ahmed Wani, was killed and Feroz Ahmed Hajam, after

KASHMIR INSIGHT OCTOBER 2018 18

Human Rights Situation
detaining him at an army camp in
Dooru area of Islamabad district.
The authorities booked a youth,
Bilal Ahmed Mir, under black law,
Public Safety Act, and shifted him
to Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu.
September 07: Indian troops
barged into the house of one
Zahoor Ahmed Thoker in Sirnoo
area of Pulwama district and
vanadalised the household goods.
Indian police arrested four youth
from Nowhatta in Srinagar.
An Indian soldier sexually
harassed a woman in Chinkipora
area of Sopore.
September 08: Indian troops
killed a youth during a cordon
and search operation in Achabal
area of Islamabad district.
A Tehreek-e-Hurriyat activist,
Hakeem-ul-Rehman Sultani, was
shot dead by the troops in
disguise outside his house in
Reshipora Bomai area of Sopore.
The troops also killed a youth,
Asif Nazir Dar, in Hazratbal area
of Srinagar.
The occupation authorities
booked eight persons under black
law, Public Safety Act, and lodged
them at Kot Bhalwal Jail in
Jammu.
September 09: Indian police
arrested three youth in Tangdhar
area of Kupwara district.
The troops smashed
windowpanes of residential
houses during cordon and search
operations in Tekkipora and
Ronipora areas of Shopian
district.
September 10: The troops
harassed as many as 50 B-Tech
students including females of 5th
semester of Islamic University of
Science and Technology when
they were conducting a study-
related survey in Pulwama.
September 11: Indian troops
killed two youth
during a cordon
and search
operation in
Galoora Langate
a r e a o f
Handwara.
A civilian, Dr
Abdul Ahad
Ghani, was killed
by Indian armed
a g e n t s i n
Brarinambal
Khanyar area of
Srinagar.
Indian police arrested five youth
from Pulwama.
September 12: The police arrested
two youth from the premises of
High Court in Srinagar and two
persons from Jammu.
September 13: Indian troops
killed three youth during a violent
military operation in Dhirthi-
Kakryal area of Reasi.
The troops during cordon and
search operations killed three
KASHMIR INSIGHT
more youth in Keran area of
Kupwara district and two others
at Arampora in Sopore.
Indian police arrested several
people from Srinagar, Ganderbal,
Bandipore and Islamabad areas.
September 14: A youth was
injured after Indian forces’
personnel fired pellets and
teargas shells on peaceful
protesters in Sopore.
September 15: The troops killed
five youth during a violent cordon
and search operation at
Chowgam-Devsar in Kulgam
district. Bodies of the youth were
recovered from the debris of the
houses destroyed by the troops by
using chemical explosive. A 22-
year-old youth, Rauf Ahmed
Ghani, was killed and over two
dozen people were injured after
the troops fired bullets and pellets
on protesters in the area.
Indian police during house raids
arrested the Chairman of Jammu
and Kashmir Muslim Conference,
Shabbir Ahmed Dar, in Sopore
and 17 other people in Pulwama.
September 18: Indian police
arrested a dozen people including
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and
Kashmir activist, Ashiq Hussain,
from Islamabad, Pulwama and
Jammu areas.
The occupation authorities
booked liberation leader, Shakeel
OCTOBER 2018 19
Human Rights Situation
Ahmed Bakhshi, and a pellet-
blinded youth, Suhail Ahmed
Tramboo, under draconian law,
Public Safety Act, and shifted
them to Kathua Jail in Jammu.
September 19: A woman, Rifat
Jan, died due to heart attack when
Indian troops barged into her
house and ruthlessly thrashed
and arrested her brother,
Hidayatullah, in front of her at
Ashmuji in Kulgam.
More than 50 mourners were
injured after Indian police used
brute force on Muharram
processions in Srinagar.
September 20: Indian troops
killed two youth during a cordon
and search operation
at Shukbabun-Sumlar
in Bandipore.
Indian police arrested
two youth during
house raids in
Saidpora-Bala area of
Shopian district.
Many mourners
sustained injuries
after Indian police
subjected the
M u h a r r a m
processions to brute
force in Srinagar.
September 21: Indian troops
killed three more youth during
continued cordon and search
operation at Shukbabun-Sumlar
in Bandipore.
The occupation authorities
imposed restrictions in Srinagar
to prevent people from taking out
Aashura processions. The
authorities also disallowed
congregational Friday prayers at
historic Jamia Masjid and
detained Syed Ali Gilani and
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at their
residences.
Scores of mourners were injured
after Indian police used brute
force on Aashura processions in
Srinagar.
September 22: At least six people
were injured due to the firing of
pellets on protesters by Indian
troops during a cordon and search
operation in Shirmal area of
Shopian.
The occupation authorities
booked two youth, Firdous
Ahmed and Aadil Hussain, under
draconian law, Public Safety Act,
and lodged them at Kot Bhalwal
Jail in Jammu.
September 23: The troops during
cordon and search operations
killed two youth in Tangdhar area
of Kupwara district and another
in Tral area of Pulwama.
Several youth were injured when
the troops fired bullets and pellets
on protesters in Tral.
September 24: Indian troops
during continued military
operation killed three more youth
in Tangdhar.
September 25: The troops killed
two youth during a cordon and
search operation at Tujjar Sharif in
Sopore.
Indian police arrested several
Hurriyat leaders and activists
including Ghulam Ahmad
Gulzar, Nisar Hussain Rathar,
Muhammad Yasin Attai and Syed
Imtiaz Haider in Srinagar.
September 26: The occupation
authorities booked four youth,
Gowhar Hassan Parray, Ishfaq
Ahmed Parray, Aijaz Ahmed Mir
and Bilal Ahmed Parray, under
black law, Public Safety Act, and
shifted them to Kot Bhalwal and
KASHMIR INSIGHT
Hira Nagar jails in Jammu region.
September 27: Indian troops
killed four youth during cordon
and search operations in Srinagar,
Budgam and Islamabad areas.
The troops also killed a non-
Kashmiri, Umesh, in Kupwara.
Over 30 youth were injured after
they were hit by the pellets fired
by the troops on protesters in
Budgam and Srinagar areas.
Indian police arrested five youth
from Baramulla and Islamabad
districts.
September 28: The occupation
authorities disallowed people to
offer Friday prayers at Jamia
Masjid in Srinagar and put
Hurriyat le aders,
Syed Ali Gilani,
Mirwaiz Umar
F a r o o q a n d
Muhammad Yasin
Malik, under house
arrest or in custody.
Indian police
arrested three youth
in Islamabad and
Pulwama areas.
The authorities
booked Hurriyet
leaders, Shabbir
Ahmed Dar, Ghulam
Ahmed Gulzar, Peer Ghulam
Mohi-ud-Din and Advocate
Hussain Ahmed, under black
law, Public Safety Act, and
lodged them at Kot Bhalwal Jail
in Jammu.
September 29: Several people
were injured after Indian forces’
personnel fired pellets and
teargas shells on protesters in
Redwani area of Kulgam.
September 30: Indian troops
ruthlessly beat up and injured
over three dozen people during a
cordon and search operation at
Kareemabad in Pulwama. The
troops also arrested two dozen
youth, damaged many residential
houses and disgraced several
women in the area.
OCTOBER 2018 20
Report
Hurriyat leaders urge UN chief to play role in Kashmir settlement
In occupied Kashmir, Hurriyat
leadership hailed the remarks of
the United Nations Secretary
General, Antonio Guterres, he
made before embarking on a
visit to India urging him to play
his role in the resolution of the
Kashmir dispute, which
remains on the agenda of the
World Body for the past over
seven decades.
Antonio Guterres who visited
India from October 1-3, 2018
just before leaving New York for
New Delhi after the conclusion
of the UN General Assembly
session had said, “I remain
concerned by the situation in
Jammu and Kashmir. I
encourage positive dialogue for
disagreements to be resolved
peacefully.”
The Joint Resistance Leadership
comprising Syed Ali Gilani,
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and
Muhammad Yasin Malik
through a letter urged Antonio
Guterres to play his role in the
settlement of the Kashmir
dispute as per the UN
resolutions and the aspirations
of the people of Jammu and
Kashmir.
The resistance leaders wrote
that India’s refusal to talk was
doing unimaginable harm not
only to Kashmir but also to the
entire south Asian region at a
time when cultural, economical
a n d p o l i t i c a l
interconnectedness(often
termed globalisation) - the main
driving force in international
relations - was need of the hour.
They called upon the UN
Secretary General to use his
good offices to influence India
in engaging with the Kashmiri
Hurriyat leadership and
Pakistan - with whom its
KASHMIR INSIGHT
relations were also
deteriorating with each passing
day. They reminded the UN
chief of the Kashmiris’
inalienable right to self-
determination. They
maintained that New Delhi
wants the Kashmiri people to
abdicate that responsibility
before they talk whereas to cede
to that demand would be to
concede before talks, rendering
talks unnecessary.
The resistance leaders also drew
attention of Antonio Guterres
towards the human rights
violations committed by Indian
troops in occupied Kashmir.
They also recalled the recent
documentation of human rights
violations by the Office of the
United Nations High
Commissioner for Human
Rights. They said that the lack of
sustained attention by the
international community to this
aspect of the Kashmir dispute
and not calling India to account
on this score only resulted in
emboldening its forces’
personnel, enjoying immunity
under black laws, causing
untold misery for the Kashmiris
OCTOBER 2018 21
Report
who were forced to live with
arbitrary arrest, imprisonment,
torture and killings in their
everyday lives.
Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq and Muhammad Yasin
Malik in their letter pointed out
that the Indian forces continued
to shower pellets and bullets
indiscriminately on the
unarmed civilian population.
According to reports, they said,
more than 16,000 people in
Kashmir suffered serious
injuries by pellets while
hundreds have been rendered
permanently
blinded and 14
percent of these
victims were below
the age of 15. They
recalled as how the
campaign of
suppression
through daily
cordon and search
operations (CASOs)
has become a
permanent feature
of the Indian
occupation. They
said, during these operations,
the forces’ personnel assault
residents and damage their
properties. They said that a war-
like situation existed in
Islamabad, Bandipora,
Baramulla, Kulgam, Pulwama
and Shopian districts. The
leaders also attached some
pictures with the letter to
highlight the enormity of the
atrocities committed by the
Indian forces on the people of
occupied Kashmir.
The resistance leaders through
the letter informed the UN chief
that Jammu and Kashmir was
not a territorial dispute between
India and Pakistan but
primarily a question of the right
to self-determination of the
people of the territory and its
resolution must be sought
within the parameters of that
definition as well. They said that
this facet of the dispute could
only be addressed if the people
of Jammu and Kashmir were
permitted to represent their case
and asked Antonio Guterres to
champion their right to be heard
on the dispute as the primary
party to it.
The Chairman of International
Forum for Justice and Human
Rights, Muhammad Ahsan
Untoo, in a letter addressed to
the UN General Secretary said
that for the past almost three
decades now, occupied
Kashmir had experienced an
ugly cycle of repression
followed by an explosion of
violence in the form of
unprecedented human rights
violations at the hands of Indian
forces’ personnel.
He pointed out that unabated
human rights abuses were the
benchmark of Indian
occupation over Kashmir where
people see the UN as the only
ray of hope.
The Chairman of Jammu and
Kashmir Salvation Movement
(JKSM), Zafar Akbar Butt, in a
statement also welcomed the
KASHMIR INSIGHT
UN chief, Antonio Guterres’
remarks. He appealed to the UN
to play its role in the peaceful
settlement of the Kashmir
dispute for ensuring durable
peace in South Asia. He said that
tripartite dialogue involving
Pakistan, India and the genuine
Kashmiri leadership was the
best way to resolve the lingering
Kashmir dispute.
Earlier on September 13, the
United Nations Secretary
General listed India among
several countries in his report
that details an alarming level of
harsh reprisals and
intimidation against
those who cooperate
with the UN on
human rights issues.
The ninth annual
report of the UN
Secretary General
detailed the level of
retaliation against
human rights
defenders on a
country-by-country
basis, including
allegations of killing,
torture, arbitrary arrests, and
public stigmatisation
campaigns, which also target
victims of rights abuse. The
report documents allegations of
reprisals and intimidation in 38
countries, some of which are
members of the UN Human
Rights Council.
The cases of Kartik Murukutla, a
member of the Jammu and
Kashmir Coalition of Civil
Society, and Khurram Parvez,
Chairperson of the Asian
Federation Against Involuntary
Disappearances and
Programme Coordinator of
Jammu and Kashmir Coalition
of Civil Society, were
mentioned in the report.
OCTOBER 2018 22
Report
UNHRC session : World attention drawn towards HR abuses in IOK
Speakers at different functions
including seminars, exhibitions
and conferences organised on the
sidelines of the 39th session of the
United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) held in
Geneva, Switzerland, from
September 10 to 28, 2018
condemned the gross human
rights violations perpetrated by
Indian troops and police
personnel in occupied Kashmir.
They asked India to stop killings
in the territory and settle the
Kashmir dispute by giving the
Kashmiri people their inalien-
able right to self-determination
for ensuring permanent peace in
South Asia.
Kashmiri representatives, Altaf
Hussain Wani, Syed Faiz
Naqshbandi, Mrs Shamim Shawl
and Ahmed Quraishi, took part
in different activities during the
UNHRC session and highlighted
the Indian atrocities in occupied
Kashmir.
The UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Michelle
Bachelet, who succeeded Zeid
Ra’ad Al-Hussein, made a very
strong reference on the long-
standing Kashmir dispute. In her
opening remarks in the UNHRC
session on September 10, 2018,
she recalled a recent report of the
UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights and deplored that
the said report has not been
followed up with meaningful
improvements or even open and
serious discussions on how the
grave issues raised could be
addressed. She further
emphasised that the people of
Kashmir have exactly the same
rights to justice and dignity as
people all over the world and she
urged the authorities to respect
them.
This was the seventh successive
policy statement by the UN
official at the UNHRC that
chastised India for gross human
rights violations in occupied
Kashmir. Earlier, in September
2016, in March, June and
September 2017, and in March
and June 2018, Zeid Ra’ad Al-
KASHMIR INSIGHT
Hussein had raised concerns
about the sufferings of the people
of occupied Kashmir at the hands
of Indian troops.
On September 21, the Kashmiri
delegation to the UNHRC
launched a unique photo
exhibition aimed at telling the
story of Kashmir dispute
through the work of renowned
international photojournalists
working in occupied Kashmir.
Students of war and conflict from
the University of Geneva and
human rights activists from
various conflict zones took keen
interest in the exhibition.
Kashmiri representative, Altaf
Hussain Wani, opened the
exhibition at the Geneva Press
Club. The idea behind the
exhibition attracted wide
attention.
Ahmed Quraishi, member of
Kashmir delegation and one of
the organisers of the exhibition,
said that the event was a
response to claims of the Indian
government that pictures were
fake and came from other
conflicts like Syria and Libya and
did not represent what the
Indian Army was doing in
occupied Kashmir.
He said that the idea behind the
exhibition was to ensure that
every picture on Kashmir had a
date, accurate description, name
of the photojournalist and other
persons in the photo and the
name of the news organisation
that published it. He added that
around 1,000 such pictures have
been identified and Kashmiri
activists are seeking permission
from the news organisations to
use these pictures non-
commercially.
On September 22, a roadside
roundtable was conducted
OCTOBER 2018 23
Report
outside the United Nations in
Geneva on the sidelines of the
UNHRC session to raise aware-
ness about the plight of the
people of occupied Kashmir
living with uncertainty.
The event highlighted the
indefinite cruelty, torture,
blinding, rapes and gang-rapes,
killings and the inhuman and
degrading treatment meted out
to the Kashmiris living under the
Indian occupation.
The roundtable was organised
by a group of non-governmental
organisations including
International Human Rights
Association of American
Minorities (IHRAAM),
International Council for Human
Rights (ICHR) and South Asia
Centre for Peace and Human
Rights (SACFPHR).
Presiding over the roundtable,
Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo
of IHRAAM stressed the need to
stop the gross human rights
violations being committed by
the Indian troops with impunity
in occupied Kashmir.
He further stated that in
Kashmir, the subjection of people
to alien subjugation, domination
and exploitation means the
denial of self-determination,
which constitutes a denial of
fundamental human rights.
Barrister Tramboo said that the
roadside roundtables in the
capitals of different European
countries were focused to
generate awareness on the
Kashmir dispute and the
deteriorating human rights
situation in occupied Kashmir.
He expressed his anger and
anguish at the Indian military
and paramilitary forces’
continued brutal actions of
torture, extrajudicial killings,
molestation of women and
young girls and blinding of
youth in the territory. He
referred to the gang-rape and
murder case of
eight-year-old
Aasifa Bano of
Kathua and
declared that
the case was
registered with
all the relevant
mandates of the
U n i t e d
Nations.
Professor Nazir
Ahmed Shawl,
the Chairman of SACFPHR,
described occupied Kashmir as a
graveyard of human rights
where the dimensions of oppres-
sion and suppression are vast
and wide. The sufferings of the
people are increasing day by day
whilst the oppressor, India,
remains in a state of denial and
continues to prevent the right to
KASHMIR INSIGHT
self-determination for the people
of Kashmir, he said.
Kashmiri representative, Altaf
Hussain Wani, emphasised that
the permanent peace in South
Asia could only be ensured if
India accepted Pakistan’s offer
for resumption of dialogue and
involved the Kashmiri people
with the process. He added that
the extreme force India was
using in occupied Kashmir did
not go unnoticed by the world
community particularly the
United Nations that recently
raised serious concerns about the
violence being perpetrated by
the Indian apparatus. He
appreciated the efforts by human
rights organisations and the
reports published exposing the
crimes being committed against
the people of occupied Kashmir.
Another Kashmiri representa-
tive, Syed Faiz Naqshbandi,
detailed the atrocities being
committed by the Indian forces’
personnel such as rape, murder,
enforced disappearances, illegal
detentions and the use of pellets
on peaceful protesters. He
further elaborated that such
weapons are not used anywhere
in India but reserved for the
people of occupied Kashmir,
blinding and crippling young
Kashmiris permanently.
OCTOBER 2018 24
Report
Syed Faiz Naqshbandi stated
that the resistance leaders in
occupied Kashmir have been
under detention without
reprieve whilst the internet
services have been clamped
down, epitomising the Indian
attitude to peaceful political
dissent.
Michael Rosenbaum, a student in
Geneva, expressed his admira-
tion and support for the
Kashmiris’ cause for the right to
self-determination, sharing his
own family’s experience of
political activism resulting in
exile from Russia.
Yasir Ahmed, General Secretary
of Kashmir Youth Alliance
(KYA), vowed that
the sacrifices of the
people of occupied
Kashmir particularly
those youth who
have suffered at the
hands of brutal
Indian occupational
forces would not go
waste.
Zubair Awan,
Chairmain KYA,
pledged that young
Kashmiri diaspora
would raise the issue of Kashmir
on every platform available and
create a new generation of
activists to lobby the Kashmir
cause.
Kashmiri representative,
Shamim Shawl, in her address
highlighted the violence against
women and children perpetrated
by the Indian forces and other
Government functionaries. She
raised the issue of 8-year-old girl
Asaifa Bano who was gang-
raped and brutally murdered
and the BJP politicians attempted
to save the culprits.
Chaudhry Parvaiz Ashraf,
former AJK minister, Sardar
Mahmood Iqbal of Belgium, Raja
Sikandar Khan of United
Kingdom and Ronald Barnes
from Alaska criticised the world
community for turning a blind
eye to the grim situation in
occupied Kashmir, stating that
ignoring Indian oppression in
the territory is a criminal silence.
The roundtable was held next to
the famous broken chair,
representing anti-mines
campaign, in the United Nations
Squire in which a large number
of people from media commu-
nity participated.
On September 23, the
International Human Rights
Association of American
Minorities (IHRAAM) in
collaboration with International
Council for Human Rights
(ICHR) conducted an event
“Obstacles to right to self-
determination”.
Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo
of IHRAAM, chairing the event,
remarked that civil society and
NGOs have been vocal since the
inception of the UN Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) to
ensure that the right to self-
determination is brought back on
its agenda. He posed the ques-
tion of obstacles and the methods
to remove them, asking if there
was a way to successfully
influence the UNHRC to return
the right to self-determination
back on its agenda and put in
action.
KASHMIR INSIGHT
The Chairman of South Asia
Centre for Peace and Human
Rights (SACFPHR), Professor
Nazir Ahmed Shawl, on the
occasion stressed that the
Kashmir dispute, recognised by
the United Nations, needed to be
addressed in accordance with the
will of the Kashmiri people.
The UN Legal Representative for
Resource Centre for Palestine
Residency and Refugee Rights,
Rania Madi, shared her concern
about numerous causes still
searching for the right to self-
determination.
Barrister Stuart Stevens of
Holborn Chambers observed
that the world is no longer
governed by justice but
by domination of
economic interests,
creating victims out of
anyone who wants self-
determination, and to
change this phenome-
non, political will of all
stakeholder must exist.
The Chairman of
Kashmir Youth
Assembly, Zubair
Awan, commented that
collective responsibility
by the world community can
ensure the right to self-
determination for the people of
Kashmir.
The special guest at the event was
a noted lawyer and human rights
activist, Advocate Deepika Singh
Rajawat, the counsel repre-
senting the parents of eight-year-
old Aasifa Bano, who was raped
and brutally murdered in Kathua
area of occupied Kashmir. She
stressed if one actually wishes to
work on the protection of human
rights, he/she must work from
the heart with passion, putting
everything at stake; that is when
you become a true human rights
activist, otherwise it is only for
show.
OCTOBER 2018 25
Report
Kashmir issue highlighted in UK, Belgium
The Jammu and Kashmir Self-
Determination Movement
International (JKSDMI) in
collaboration with Conservative
‘Friends of Kashmir’ has started
lobbying on the Kashmir dispute
in the United Kingdom. The
lobbying campaign was
inaugurated by the Co-
Chairperson of ‘Friends of
Kashmir’ in the UK Parliament
and Member of the European
Parliament (MEP), Anthea
McIntyre, at a function held in
Birmingham on the occasion of
the Annual Conference of the
ruling Conservative Party.
Anthea McIntyre in her address
highlighted the Kashmir dispute
and the Indian brutalities in
occupied Kashmir. She assured
that she would ask her
government, party and friends to
fully raise their voice against the
human rights violations by the
Indian troops in the occupied
territory.
She demanded repeal of
draconian laws in occupied
Kashmir and settlement of the
Kashmir dispute according to the
UN resolutions.
The other speakers on the
occasion shed light on the
atrocities of the Indian forces’
personnel against the people of
occupied Kashmir and called for
settling the lingering Kashmir
conflict as per the aspirations of
the Kashmiri people.
The Chairman of Jammu and
Kashmir Self-Determination
Movement International
(JKSDMI), Raja Najabat Hussain,
in his inaugural address thanked
the Friends of Kashmir, saying
that their efforts were bringing
positive results as the dispute
was rapidly gaining attention at
the global level. He also urged
the international community to
impress upon India to stop its
brutalities in Kashmir and settle
the lingering dispute through
peaceful means.
Earlier on September 28, the
Jammu and Kashmir Self-
Determination Movement
International (JKSDMI) team led
by Chairman, Raja Najabat
Hussain, organised an
International Kashmir
Conference in the European
Parliament in Brussels with the
support of the Friends of
Kashmir in the EU Parliament.
The conference was attended by
the delegates from UK and
Europe, representatives of the
All Parties Hurriyat Conference
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
chapter and several
KASHMIR INSIGHT
organisations working on
Kashmir issue in Parliaments as
well as in the United Nations.
The conference was chaired
jointly by Anthea McIntyre MEP,
Richard Corbett MEP, and Raja
Najabat Hussain, Chairman
JKSDMI, and the speakers
included Pakistani Ambassador
to Belgium, Naghmana Hashmi;
Pakistani Senators Faisal Javed
and Karim Tareen; Julie Ward
MEP; Alex Myers MEP; Dr Syed
Nazir Ahmed Gilani, President
Jammu and Kashmir Human
Rights Council in United
Nations; Shaikh Tajammul-ul-
Islam, Executive Director
Kashmir Media Service
Islamabad; Abdul Hameed Lone,
Secretary Information, APHC-
AJK; Syed Aijaz Shah, APHC-
AJK leader; Zafar Ahmed,
Chairman Kashmir Campaign
Global; Ali Raza Syed, Chairman
Kashmir Council Europe;
Nayeem Chaudhary, Chairman
Jammu and Kashmir Forum
France; Zulfiqar Butt, Secretary
General Jammu and Kashmir
Forum France; Muhammad
Azam, Secretary General
JKSDMI; Councillor, Yasmin
Dar, Chairperson JKSDMI;
Harry Boota, Director
Administration JKSDMI; Sardar
Sadiq Khan, President PTI
Belgium; and Ambassador
Anthony Crasner. It was
attended by more than 50
delegates.
On September 27, a special
dinner was hosted in the honour
of Pakistani Senators, Members
of European Parliament (MEPs),
and Kashmiri delegations from
Pakistan and UK at the residence
of Nughmana Hashmi, the High
Commissioner of Pakistan to
Brussels. The invitees discussed
the current situation in occupied
Kashmir.
OCTOBER 2018 26
Chronology

A chronological account of including Maulana Abbas

Ansari, Muhammad Yasin
Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah,
developments on Kashmir (146) Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai,
Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Zafar
KMS Research Desk
Akbar Butt, Nayeem Ahmed
Khan and Javaid Ahmed Mir.
2014 Indian police open The police arrest Hurriyat
March 14: Indian police arrest indiscriminate fire on peaceful leaders, Muhammad Yousuf
several leaders and activists of protesters in Naidkhai area of Naqash, Hilal Ahmed War,
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Bandipora district. The Firdous Ahmed Shah and Bashir
Front during a raid on the party occupation authorities impose Kashmiri, from their houses in
office in Srinagar. curfew in the district and Srinagar and lodge them in
stringent restrictions in other police stations. The actions are
Hurriyat leaders including
parts of occupied Kashmir to taken to stop the leaders from
Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Mushtaq-
prevent people from holding visiting Bandipora and
ul-Islam, Shabbir Ahmed Dar,
protests against the killing of the expressing solidarity with the
Muhammad Yousuf Naqash
youth. Thousands of people family of the martyred youth.
and Wajahat Qureshi
defy curfew and participate in The police also raid the
addressing a protest rally at
the funeral prayers of the residences of Hurriyat leaders,
Bomai in Sopore urge the people
martyred youth. They chant
to boycott the upcoming Indian
Parliamentary elections in the
territory. People raise pro-
freedom and anti-India slogans
on the occasion.
Kashmiri leaders, Altaf Hussain
Wani, Sardar Amjad Yousuf and
Shamim Shawl, speaking at
different events on the sidelines
of the UN Human Rights
Council session in Geneva urge
the world community to
impress upon India to give the
Kashmiris their right to self-
determination. The leaders also
meet an official delegation from
Venezuela and appraise it of the high-pitched anti-India and pro- Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Ayaz Akbar,
human rights situation in freedom slogans. Complete Altaf Ahmed Shah and Raja
occupied Kashmir. shutdown is observed in most Merajuddin, and harass the
In London, British Kashmiris parts of the Kashmir Valley inmates.
arrange a photo exhibition against the killing while the In Geneva, a Kashmiri
outside the Commonwealth occupation authorities deploy delegation comprising Syed
Secretariat on the thousands of Indian troops and Faiz Naqshbandi, Altaf Hussain
Commonwealth Day to police personnel across the Wani, Sardar Amjad Yousaf
highlight the human rights territory to keep the situation Khan, Ishtiyaq Hameed and Ms
violations perpetrated by the under control. Shamim Shawl meets former
Indian forces in occupied The authorities place under French Foreign Minister,
Kashmir. house arrest the All Parties Bernard Kouchner, on the
March 15: A youth, Farhat Hurriyat Conference Chairman, sidelines of the 25th session of
Ahmed Dar, is martyred and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and the UN Human Rights Council
several others are injured when other Hurriyat leaders and apprise him about the

OCTOBER 2018 27
Chronology
present situation of occupied
Kashmir.
Shamim Shawl addressing the
session of the Council says that
the Kashmiri children continue
to be the victims of state violence
in the occupied territory.
Ishtiyaq Hameed in his address
to the Council appeals to the
world community to help the
Kashmiris in achieving their
inalienable right to self-
determination.
March 16: In occupied Kashmir,
complete shutdown is observed
to protest against the recent
killing of an innocent youth by
Indian police in Naidkhai area of
Bandipora district. Call for the
shutd own is given by the
Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat
Conference, Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq, and the forum
patronised by the veteran
Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Gilani.
The occupation authorities
continue to impose strict curfew
in Bandipora district and
stringent restrictions in
downtown Srinagar on the
second consecutive day to
prevent people from holding
demonstrations against the
killing. Despite curfew and other
restrictions, people take to the
streets in Bandipora, Hajin,
Palhalan and Baramulla areas
and clash with Indian troops and
police personnel. The troops and
police fire teargas shells to break
up the demonstration, injuring
several people.
The puppet administration
continues to place under house
arrest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and
other Hurriyat leaders, Maulana
Abbas Ansari, Muhammad Yasin
Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah,
Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Zafar
Akbar Butt, Nayeem Ahmed
Khan and Javaid Ahmed Mir.
Other Hurriyat leaders including
Mukhtar Ahmed Waza,
Muhammad Yousuf Naqash,
Hilal Ahmed War, Firdous
Ahmed Shah and Bashir
Kashmiri remain lodged in police
stations.
A Kashmiri youth, Zuhaib
Mushtaq, who suffers brain
hemorrhage out of excitement
over the victory of his favourite
Pakistan cricket team against
India in a recent Asia Cup match,
passes away at a hospital in
Srinagar.
Pakistani High Commissioner to
India, Abdul Basit, visits Syed Ali
Gilani’s Malviya Nagar residence
in New Delhi and enquire about
his health.
In Geneva, a Kashmiri delegation
meets Ambassador Muhammad
Kawu Ibrahim, the Chairperson
of International Permanent
Human Rights Commission of
the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation, on the sidelines of
the 25th session of the UN
Human Rights Council and
apprises him about the latest
situation of occupied Kashmir.
The delegation comprises Altaf
Hussain Wani, Ishtiaq Hameed,
Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, Sardar
Amjad Yousaf Khan and Ahmed
Quraishi.
Compiled by: Showkat Ali
To be continued...
OCTOBER 2018 28
Beauty thy name is
Shalimar Bagh, the celebrated
royal garden in Srinagar, is
considered to be the finest
Mughal-style garden. It is
located on the northeast side of
famous Dal Lake, approximately
fifteen kilometers away from the
center of Srinagar. It was built by
the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in
1619 for his wife, Nur Jahan. He
was so fascinated with the
garden that he called it Farah
Bakhsh (the delightful) and "one
of the sights of
Kashmir."
The Shalimar Bagh was
constructed not merely
as garden but it also
served as the summer
residence of the
Mughals. The water
canals and fountains
cover a major area of the
garden and the gurgling
sound of soothing water
canals, lovely fountains,
vibrant flowers and the
old architecture make this
garden a wonderful place to
spend a fine sunny day.
In 1630, on the orders of Shah
Jahan, the local Kashmiri
governor, Zafar Khan, extended
the garden under the name of
Faiz Bakhsh (the bountiful).
Under Pathan and Sikh gover-
nors, Shalimar was treated as a
pleasure resort, and during the
reign of Ranjit Singh, European
visitors were housed in its
marble pavilion. The Maharaja
Hari Singh had installed electric
lights in the garden.
Covering an area of approxi-
mately 12.4 hectares, the garden
is rectangular in shape. It is
oriented northeast to southwest,
with the highest point located
along the northeast side.
Although it is not located directly
Shalimar Bagh
on the lake shore, it is connected
to the Dal Lake by a long canal,
and the formal approach to the
garden is through this canal. It
can now also be reached from the
road that runs around the lake.
The Shalimar Bagh is an adapta-
tion of the formal Persian chahar
bagh, traditionally uniform in
shape, with a water source in its
center and four radiating streams
that divide the garden into four
sections. It adapts the chahar
bagh to the mountainous
topography by emphasizing the
central water channel; the
secondary channels are mini-
mized or removed from the
design, and the source of water
shifts from the center of the
garden to its highest point. Thus
the central water canal of the
garden (Shah Nahar) forms its
main axis, uniting the three
terraces with their regularly
placed fountains and chinar
(sycamore) tree-lined vistas.
Beginning at the top of the
garden, the canal runs through
each of the baradaris (pavilions)
in the garden.
Within the Shalimar Bagh, there
are three terraces with different
functions and level of privacy.
The first terrace is a public
garden or the outer garden
ending in the Diwan-e-Aam
KASHMIR INSIGHT
(public audience hall). In this
hall, a small black marble throne
was installed over the waterfall.
The emperor during his stay in
Kashmir held his daily court
here.
The second terrace garden along
the axial canal, slightly broader,
has two shallow terraces. The
Diwan-i-Khas (the hall of private
audience), which was accessible
only to the noblemen or guests of
the court, now derelict, is in its
centre. However, the carved
stone bases and a fine
platform surrounded by
fountains are still seen.
The royal bathrooms are
located on the north-west
boundary of this enclo-
sure.
In the third terrace, the
axial water channel flows
through the Zenana
(harem) garden, which is
flanked by the Diwan-i-
Khas and chinar trees. At
the entrance to this
terrace, there are two small
pavilions or guard rooms (built
in Kashmiri-style on stone
platform) that is the restricted
and controlled entry zone of the
royal harem.
The Shalimar Bagh is well known
for its chini khanas, or niches,
behind garden waterfalls. These
niches, which once held oil
lamps, now hold pots of flowers,
so that their colours will be
reflected behind the flowing
water. Presently, the garden is a
public park.
The best time to visit Shalimar
Bagh is during autumn and
spring season (September-
October and mid-February till
mid-April) when Chinar trees
change their colours from green
to orange and yellow, giving a
warm glow to the garden.
OCTOBER 2018 29
Literature
The tale of a princess
A certain prince had been
married. The day after the
wedding the king, his father, sent
to him, saying, “Tell your wife
that the king sends his regards.”
The prince did so, and the wife
simply replied, “Well!” In the
evening the king came to inquire
what answer the princess had
given; and when he heard it he
said, “Sorrow! I have lost the
money spent on my son's
wedding.”
In a little while the prince was
married again and in the same
manner, the king sent a regards
to his wife. “Well, well,” the
princess answered, “thank the
king for his kindness, and give
him my regards.”
When the king heard this reply
he exclaimed, “Alas! Alas! My
lot; I have lost the money spent
on my son's wedding.”
A short time after this, the king
married his son for the third time,
and tested his third wife in the
same manner.
Now this third wife was meek
and modest and good. When she
heard the king's notice of her, she
begged her husband to say to His
Majesty, “The princess says who
am I that the king should deign to
notice me?” She did this, because
she did not think it right either to
treat His Majesty's regards with
disrespect, or to receive it as if it
were her due, like the other two
princesses had done.
On hearing her answer, the king
was glad, and said to his son,
“This is a wise and good wife. I
have not wasted any money over
this wedding.”
A few years after this third
marriage a powerful king came
A Kashmiri folklore
with his soldiers and took the
city, and put the king and his
army to flight. The royal house-
hold was scattered.
The king and queen and the
prince fled to one country, while
the three princesses went to their
own homes. Before leaving, the
“wise and good wife” made
seven loaves, and putting a ruby
in each, she took them with her.
In the course of their wanderings
the king, queen, and prince
reached the country where the
wise and good princess lived.
Accordingly, they went to her
home, and related all that had
befallen them since they had left
their country. The princess had
pity on them, and gave the king
one of the loaves that she had
made, saying, “This bread is very
stale, but in the middle of it you
will find a ruby. Take and sell the
ruby in the bazaar, and buy for
yourself some necessaties.”
The king thanked the princess,
and went at once to one of the
great merchants of the place and
asked him to buy the ruby. The
merchant hesitated about the
price; so the king said, “Very
well, give me a rupee in advance,
and I will come again tomorrow
for the rest.”
On the next day, when the king
went, the merchant said to him,
“Go away, and do not waste my
time with idle talk. There are lots
of people like you going about
pretending to have done this
thing and that thing, thinking to
deceive us busy people. But some
of us have a better memory than
others. When did you sell me a
ruby? How could a poor man like
you honestly obtain a ruby? I do
not know anything about you.
KASHMIR INSIGHT
Go away, or I shall have to resort
to force.”
Seeing that it was useless to press
his claim, the unfortunate king
turned away. “Alas! Alas!” he
exclaimed, “how can I go back to
the queen and prince and
princess with this reply? They
will not believe me. Better for me
to fly from the palace and dwell
alone, than to meet their suspi-
cions and reproofs.”
Hence, the king went to a certain
jungle and there lamented his
cruel fate.
When several hours had passed,
and the king had not returned,
the princess called her husband,
and giving him another loaf,
asked him to go to the bazaar and
dispose of the ruby that was in
the middle of it. The prince took
the bread, and went to the same
merchant that his father had
visited. He also was deceived by
the wicked man, and like his
father, thinking it better to live a
life of solitude than to dwell with
those who would always suspect
him of having appropriated the
money, he too went to the jungle.
There he met his father, and
recounted to him his sad tale, and
heard that the same trial had
happened to him. Some weeks
elapsed, and then the princess,
thinking that the king and prince
had deserted them, gave her
mother-in-law some bread with a
ruby in it, and asked her to go
and try to sell it. Most unfortu-
nately the queen also went to the
wicked merchant, and was
treated in just the same way; and
she too, not caring to go back to
the princess without the ruby or
its equivalent money, fled to the
jungle, and there found her
OCTOBER 2018 30
Literature
husband and son.
The princess waited several
days. At last, she disguised
herself as a man, and mounting
one of her father's horse, rode
everywhere inquiring from the
people whether they had seen
any beggars wandering about in
their neighbourhood. Nobody
could give her any information of
the missing ones. So, she rode on
and on till she came to another
country. Here the king, as he was
walking one day in the verandah
of his palace, noticed her, and
calling her to him, asked if she
would like to take service in the
palace. She readily consented,
and at once was appointed to
some special work. Her skill and
wisdom and goodness soon
obtained for her great favour
with His Majesty, who often sent
for her to talk with him or advise
him on private as well as public
matters.
While she was living in the
palace a large python appeared
in the country and destroyed
many lives. The whole country
was in a terrible state of fear.
Nobody dared venture far from
his threshold. From the king
down to the lowest subject there
was daily expectation of death.
In the hour of his distress the
king sent for the princess and
begged her to say what ought to
be done.
“I will go and slay the beast,” she
replied. “Go,” said the king, “If
you succeed I will give you my
daughter in marriage.”
The princess went and slew the
python and as soon as she
returned with the good news, the
king married her to his daughter.
At the princess's (his servant)
earnest request, who said that
she had been moved to do so by
the advice of her pir, the king had
a separate
house provided
for her, and
another house
for his own
daughter. The
house set apart
for the princess
(the king's
supposed son-
in-law) was
situated in a
place where
two roads met.
Sometimes,
when she had
not anything
better to do, the
princess used to
sit by one of the
lattice windows
and watch the
people as they
passed by. One
day she was
startled by the
sight of her
husband and
his father and king, queen, and prince. They
mother. She beckoned to them travelled as quickly as they could
and inquired who they were? to the place where the merchant
where they were going? and dwelt, and threatened him so
what they were doing?. Seeing severely, that the man, fearing
that she was good and sympa- the king would hear of the matter
thising, they told her everything. and order his execution, sold all
“Come into my house,” she said. his property and gave them the
And then, when they had money.
entered, she told them who she Then the princess sent word to
was. “See,” she continued, “I am the king who had befriended her,
your princess. I knew not what and explained everything to him,
had befallen you all, and there- and begged His Majesty to
fore I disguised myself and went forgive her, and allow the
in search of you. Praise be to God, princess, his daughter, to marry
who has thus brought us the prince, her husband. The king
agreed. He also sent a large force
together again! Wait here till
of soldiers to help the princess's
evening, when I will go with you.
father-in-law to regain his
We will see this wicked
kingdom. Another battle was
merchant. He must be punished,
then fought, and the country was
and our property must be
regained; and henceforth peace
restored.”
and prosperity reigned in all its
That evening the princess left the
borders.
house in the company of the
KASHMIR INSIGHT OCTOBER 2018 31
Feedback
Indian refusal
After a long standoff on the
composite dialogue process
between India and Pakistan over
the Kashmir dispute, finally a
positive development came to
fore in the form of a letter by the
Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Imran Khan, to his Indian
counterpart,
Narendra Modi,
c a l l i n g f o r
resumption of the
dialogue process
between the two
countries with
constructive
engagement on the
sidelines of the
United Nations
General Assembly
session during
September. In the
said letter written on
September 14, 2018, Imran Khan
expressly stated that Pakistan
was interested to peacefully
resolve all outstanding issues
including the Kashmir dispute to
end differences and achieve a
mutually beneficial outcome. He
further reiterated that Pakistan
was ready for discussion on
terrorism, trade, people-to-
people contacts, religious
terrorism and humanitarian
issues. However, it was quite
unfortunate that after initially
accepting the offer for ministerial
level talks, India backed away
from its announcement. It seems
that New Delhi backtracked only
because general elections in
India are around the corner and
ruling Bharatiya Janata Party
needs a strong anti-Pakistan card
to secure victory in the polls.
Raies Mir
Srinagar
Demographic change
India is making all¬-out efforts to
impose its imperialism in
occupied Kashmir. The basic
objective of New Delhi is to
dilute the ongoing popular
uprising of the people of the
occupied territory against India’s
illegal occupation of their soil
and to attain their fundamental
right to self-determination.
Although, occupied Kashmir has
religious, cultural and ethnic
diversities but the majority of the
people are Muslims. New Delhi
has been hatching conspiracies
from time to time to divide the
people of occupied Kashmir on
ethnic, religious, cultural,
political, sectarian and regional
basis to malign their non-
communal and peaceful freedom
movement. The efforts to change
the legal status of Jammu and
Kashmir and the demography of
the territory through abrogation
of Articles 370 and 35-A of the
Indian Constitution are part of
India’s designs to completely
merge Jammu and Kashmir in
the Indian Union.
Thanks
Babar Wani
Sopore
UN and Kashmir
Dear editor, the UN should
impress upon India to fulfil the
promises it made with the people
of Jammu and Kashmir and the
world community several
decades ago of peacefully
resolving the Kashmir dispute
through free, fair and impartial
plebiscite under the auspices of
the World Body. Moreover, India
KASHMIR INSIGHT
should also discharge its
obligations under the UN
mechanism and international
human rights laws, which it has
approved through various
conventions, treaties and
charters from time to time, to
stop the gross and systematic
human rights violations in
occupied Kashmir. The
world community, the
UN and the human
rights organisations
across the globe must
highlight the atrocities
committed by Indian
troops in the occupied
territory and play role in
the settlement of the
longstanding Kashmir
dispute for ensuring
lasting peace and
stability in South Asia.
Abdul Ghani
Muzaffarabad
Pakistan’s role
The government of Pakistan is
playing an effective role in
countering diplomatically and
politically India’s hegemonic
designs in the South Asian
region. It is also effectively
highlighting the miseries and
plight of the people of occupied
Kashmir across the world
through its diplomatic missions
and effective lobbying and
presenting the Kashmir dispute
in the regional and international
forums particularly the United
Nations for its resolution in
accordance with the wishes and
aspirations of the people of
Jammu and Kashmir. The people
of Jammu and Kashmir have
been offering unparalleled
sacrifices for the past over seven
decades and are determined to
offer more in their just struggle
for securing their inalienable
right to self-determination.
Thanks
Wali Muhammad
Gilgit
OCTOBER 2018 32
 Atrocities by Indian troops
(January 1989 to September 30, 2018)

Total killings 95,147

Custodial killings 7,115

Civilians arrested 144,957

Structures destroyed/damaged 109,073

Women widowed 22,887

Children orphaned 107,735

Women gangraped/molested 11,096

Including custodial killings

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

 Do you remember these words!

“We do not seek to go behind the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan
(UNCIP) resolutions, or to ignore the vital elements of principle contained in them .…
We have always adhered to the UNCIP resolutions …. We cannot be a party to the
reversal of previous decisions taken by the United Nations Commission with the
agreement of the parties.”

(India’s Permanent Representative in the UN, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit,

in a statement at the Security Council on December 08, 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)
0092-5822-432344 (Muzaffarabad)
Email: kashmirinsight@yahoo.com