Jammu, March 04, 2020 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops continued cordon and search operations across the Kashmir valley and different areas of Jammu region, causing huge inconvenience to the residents. The troops arrested several youth during door-to-door searches and crackdown operations in different areas of Srinagar, Badgam, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipore, Islamabad, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Five of the arrested youth were taken into custody from Marwah area of Kishtwar alone. These military operations have created an atmosphere of fear and harassment among the locals.
Hurriyat leaders Shabbir Ahmed Dar and Umar Aadil Dar in their statements in Srinagar condemned the crackdown operations and arrest of the youth. The leaders said that the ongoing arrest spree was the worst manifestation of the Indian state terrorism. They urged international rights bodies to take a serious note of the appalling human rights situation in occupied Kashmir. Hurriyat leader Abdul Samad Inqilabi in a message issued from Central Jail, Srinagar, thanked Pakistan for pleading the case of the Kashmiri people at all international forums.
As per reports gleaned from the sources based in Srinagar, journalist fraternity is facing the worst time, especially after the revocation of Kashmir’s special status by Modi government in August, last year. As local newspapers have been forced to become mouthpiece of the occupation regime, the upright journalists are a special target of both the Indian government and its puppet media houses in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, India has formally extended the curbs on Internet services till 17th of this month in the territory. The residents continue to face hardships due to the ongoing military siege and internet shutdown on the 213th consecutive day, today.
Washington-based non-governmental organization, Freedom House, in its 2020 report strongly criticized India for its declining record of political rights and civil liberties in occupied Kashmir and against Muslims in India. The annual report published by pro-democracy organization says that India has suffered the largest decline in its score among the 25 most populous democracies because of the Narendra Modi government’s alarming departures from democratic norms.
On Kashmir, the report highlights the abrupt revocation of Kashmir’s special status, the massive deployment of troops, the arbitrary arrests of hundreds of Kashmiri leaders and activists and shutdown of mobile and internet services in the territory. Kashmir, the report added, experienced one of the largest single-year score declines of the past 10 years in Freedom in the World, and its freedom status dropped to Not Free.
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