World leaders asked to ‘speak up’ for Kashmiris at UN

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) - A daughter of former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir called on world leaders to intervene to help the people of the region, who are facing “economic, humanitarian, psychological and health crises.”

Iltija Mufti, who is currently managing the Twitter handle of her mother Mehbooba Mufti, in a video message spoke about the problems being faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir and how their voices are being “oppressed” amid telecom ban.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under a near-complete lockdown since the Indian government’s move on Aug. 5 to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Since then, the Indian government has blocked communication access and imposed restrictions on movement to thwart any protests in the region.

Several rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have repeatedly called on India to lift restrictions and release political detainees.

India said that 93% of the restrictions have been eased in the conflict-ridden region, a claim that Anadolu Agency could not independently verify.

"It is important that the world leaders of today look beyond the trappings of trade and strategy. It is time they came together to fight for the ideals they hold close to their hearts. Otherwise, our young will lose their faith in the greater goodness of mankind,” Mufti said.

“As this year UNGA [UN General Assembly] convenes, I request all world leaders to speak up for nine million people whose voices have been gagged. Kashmir needs you. Speak up and stand with Kashmir,” she added.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for dialogue for the solution of row between Pakistan and India on Kashmir.

In his address at UN General Assembly session in New York, Erdogan criticized international community for failing to pay attention to Kashmir conflict, which awaits solution for 72 years.

The president said the stability and prosperity of South Asia cannot be separated from the Kashmir issue.

- A disputed region

From 1954 until Aug. 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir had special provisions under which it enacted its own laws. The provisions also protected the region's citizenship law, which barred outsiders from settling in and owning land in the territory.

India and Pakistan both hold Kashmir in parts and claim it in full. China also controls part of the contested region, but it is India and Pakistan who have fought two wars over Kashmir.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights groups, thousands of people have been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989.