MIRPUR (AJK)-Azad Jammu Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan vehemently condemned Indian shelling in different sectors of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and termed it a cowardly act of the enemy.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the egregious act of aggression that killed at least six civilian, injured several others and caused huge loss to the properties in Azad Kashmir,” the president said in an official statement issued from London on Sunday.
He said that India had imposed an undeclared war on the liberated territory by pounding over a dozen villages from Noseeri to Nagdar in Neelum valley, Leepa and Khuairatta sectors of Kotli district.
“We have been stressing since long that after declaring occupied Kashmir as its colony, India had set to attack on Azad Kashmir as its next target,” he said adding that the international community including United Nations should take strict notice of this naked Indian aggression in which long range artillery guns have been used on the night between Saturday and Sunday.
The AJK president said that these cowardly acts were designed to divert attention of the international community from the Indian crimes against humanity in occupied Kashmir, and to prevent Pakistan and the people of Azad Kashmir from supporting liberation struggle of their brethren in the occupied territory.
“India is intentionally creating a war-like situation at the Line of Control, and is escalating tension which may ignite a large scale war between Pakistan and India at anytime,” he said.
Khan warned that if Indian shelling on the civilian population of Azad Kashmir continued, the people of liberated territory will have no option but to pick weapons against fast growing Indian aggression.
While paying glowing tributes to the armed forces of the country for defending Azad Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan said that every citizen of the liberated territory was ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pak Army to thwart heinous designs of the enemy.
He expressed sympathy with the families of those martyred or injured in the unprovoked Indian shelling in Falakan, Jurabandi, Ashkot, Sandooq, Mirpura, Kundal Shahi, Leswa, Nauseri and Nausada areas of Neelum valley and Leepa Valley and Khuiratta sectors. Earlier addressing Kashmir conference organized by Pakistan Association and Bristol Kashmir Foundation in Bristol, the AJK president said that in spite of India’s worst repression and fascist means, the Kashmiri people will neither give up their struggle nor will accept the slavery of India.
He appreciated the world media, civil society and the human rights organizations for constantly exposing inhuman treatment of Indian Army toward the Kashmiri people. However, he regretted that the world governments had shut eyes toward the Indian repression because of their economic and political interest.
He appreciated the role of Pakistani and the Kashmiri community for projecting the Kashmir cause in UK and Europe, and urged them to gear up their efforts and motivate international public opinion in favor of demand of Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination.
Likewise, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan Sunday appealed to the UN Secretary General to take immediate serious notice of the frequent unprovoked Indian firing at the LoC, which he called the Cease Fire line (CFL) targeting civilians dwelling along the bloody line.
He said over six hundred of thousands of people are residing close to CFL. Indian troops are using cluster ammunition from across CFL which is a crime under Cluster Ammunition Convention and international laws.
He strongly condemned Indian firing at different sectors which claims martyrdom of 6 civilians and injuring 8 others. Five martyrs belong to district Muzaffarabad and one to district Neelum.
He said Indian cowardice acts are increasing at Cease Fire line (CFL) with each passing day and the increasing tension between two countries posed a serious threat to peace of the region. He said India is creating war like situation on CFL to divert the world attention from its massive human rights violations in the occupied valley.
He said India cowardice acts would not intimidate people living close to LoC.
Farooq Haider said Indian troops using light, heavy weapons and sniper guns to target civilians.
He appealed international community to make India accountable for sheer violation of international laws and agreements.
He paid tributes to the valiant armed forces and people who are rendering matchless sacrifices for protesting mother land from Indian aggression and expressed sympathy with bereaved families.