Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday once again questioned the international community’s silence on Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) and warned that should ethnic cleansing of Muslims take place in the region, there would be severe repercussions in the Muslim world.
The premier’s message came as the curfew and communications blackout imposed by New Delhi in occupied Kashmir entered its 12th day. Thursday (August 15) was also India’s Independence Day, which was observed as a ‘Black Day’ across Pakistan to protest the brutalities and human rights abuses in IHK.
“In IoK (Indian-occupied Kashmir), 12 days of curfew, presence of extra troops in an already heavily militarised occupied territory, sending in of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) goons, complete communication blackout – with the example of Modi’s earlier ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Gujarat,” wrote the premier on his Twitter account, the display picture of which was a plain black image. “Will [the] world silently witness another Srebrenica-type massacre and ethnic cleansing of Muslims in IoK?” he asked. “I want to warn the international community if it allows this to happen, it will have severe repercussions and reactions in the Muslim world, setting off radicalisation and cycles of violence.”
The decision to mark India’s Independence Day as a Black Day was made at the National Security Committee meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran last week in the wake of the Indian move to revoke Article 370 that gave IHK an autonomous status.
