As Indian trolls and high-profile personalities make bold statements about “protecting India against propaganda”, there are a multitude of international celebrities and well-known individuals such as Greta Thunberg that have come out recently in support of the farmer’s protest. While India’s actions in Delhi against the farmers are condemnable, the injustices there pale in comparison to the other, silent abuse continuously taking place in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOK).
On Kashmir Day, it is important to reassert our national commitment to the cause of self-determination in the region under military siege. Indian forces continue to occupy the area in large numbers, the curfew has remained imposed without any respite since August 5, 2019 and Kashmiris remain voiceless as a result.
We must strike now, while the iron is still hot. The world is waking up to the daily atrocities being committed by the Modi government, however, IIOK has not received its due share of attention. Speeches have been made in parliaments, such as in the UK, but there has been little tangible action.
Where governments will not censure India, Pakistan must look to highlight the IIOK issue to galvanise the general public the world over. We have seen the positive effect this has had in the past. However, judging by how active the Indian troll factory and paid individuals have become in response to the high-profile condemnation of the Indian government, it is all the more important to take this strategy forward.
Pakistan’s—at both the state and public levels—unflinching commitment to the Kashmir cause must consistently look to add support from all those willing to speak out about injustices. Those with a platform such as Thunberg and the celebrities that spoke against government action in Delhi—can use it to engage a larger section of the public and influence governments to act. As ever, today is a day for those that lost their lives or have been abused at the hands of the Indian state in Kashmir. With reflection of the injustices, practical action to save future generations must also be prioritised.