CM Mahmood Khan says KP people ready to offer any sacrifice for Kashmiris

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are ready for offering any sacrifice to getting the right of self-determination for the Kashmiri brethren.

He was addressing a public gathering at the Nishtar Hall in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day, said an official handout.

Mahmood Khan said the people of Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were fully supporting the struggle movement of the Kashmiris.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was moving forward with an extremist ideology, reminding that violence begets more violence and cannot be used to suppress the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people. The chief minister said India had not only deprived the Kashmiris of their basic right to self-determination for the last seven decades, but also the victimization of Kashmiris has increased manifold after August 5, 2019 when the special status of the occupied Kashmir in the Indian Constitution was abolished.

On the occasion, a minute of silence was observed and later a rally was staged to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

Speaking at the rally the chief minister said the killing of innocent human beings, maltreatment of the Kashmiri women, forced custody of innocent civilians, attacks on houses, shops, mosques and shrines had become a norm since decades and Modi's extremist and fascist ideology had fueled the situation.

Mahmood Khan said it was of deep concern that Kashmiri Muslims have long been oppressed despite the presence of so-called global human rights organisations and UN resolutions.

"It is time for the international human rights organisations and the UN to take a serious action against India for oppressing the Kashmiris for the last seven decades," he added.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the issue of occupied Kashmir during the meeting of the UN General Assembly last year and made it clear that he would work as an ambassador for the Kashmiris in the world.

Mahmood Khan said that solidarity with Kashmiris this year was even more important because brutalities by the Indian armed forces were increasing.

He said the Indian leadership and security forces have made life difficult for people in occupied Kashmir.

"The Kashmiris have been facing curfew for the last 184 days and the Indian leadership has banned free media to hide the brutality inflicted on the Kashmiris," he added.

The chief minister said the Pakistan stance on Kashmir is based on principle and justice. The people of Pakistan will continue to raise voice for the Kashmiri brothers, he added.