Protest in Colombo demanding immediate resolution for Kashmir issue

The Kashmir Study Forum Sri Lanka along with Pakistani and Sri Lankan community organized a peaceful demonstration in front of United Nation (UN) Office at Baudaloka Mawatha in Colombo to highlight the recent upsurge in extrajudicial killing and human rights violation in Indian Occupied Kashmir region, a statement from the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo said.

The participants of the assembly expressed their grave concern about the ongoing killings of civilians by Indian security forces in the towns and villages of Kashmir.

They urged the Secretary General of the United Nations to encourage, facilitate and support efforts leading to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions to ensure resolution of this longstanding unresolved issue.

The Kashmir dispute has emerged as one of the greatest and oldest human crises in history which is marked by extra judicial killings, rape, detention, and kidnapping of Kashmiris.

"Since 1989, more than 94,000 Kashmiris have been killed, out of which over 7000 were custodial killings at the hands of Indian occupation forces. More than 106,000 structures have been destroyed, more than 22000 women have been widowed, over 107,000 children have been orphaned and more than 10,000 women have been raped and molested by Indian military and paramilitary troops in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK)" a statement from Pakistan embassy in Colombo said.

A memorandum with thousands of signatures urging UN to play its role to resolve the oldest unresolved dispute on UN agenda since 1947 was also handed over to the UN office.

A signature campaign was also launched to raise awareness, encourage advocacy and to emphasize the centrality of the resolution of Kashmir Issue to the lasting peace and prosperity of South Asia across the Island nation.