JOHANNESBURG: People in South Africa strongly condemn India’s decision to organise a G-20 meeting in Srinagar as it is an established fact that Jammu and Kashmir has been under illegal occupation since 1947.
This was stated by Mian Mohamed Zakria, Chairman Kashmir Committee of the Pakistan Association Southern Africa (PASA).
“The entire world knows and recognises that India has been illegally occupying Jammu and Kashmir since 1947. Kashmir is on the UN agenda as a disputed territory,” Zakria said.
“Now in an effort to legitimise its occupation of Kashmir, India has organised one of the meetings of G-20 in the occupied Kashmir.”
He said South Africans strongly condemn this act and stand fully with the people of Kashmir who are observing a nationwide strike to protest this illegal act.
Zakria also appreciated China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for opposing the G20 meeting and also expressed his gratitude to the other members who have downgraded their participation in the event. “It underlines international recognition of the disputed nature of Kashmir,” he said.
“We strongly condemn the Indian move to use its turn of presidency of G-20 to assert its illegal and inhuman occupation of Kashmir. Beside its illegal occupation, India has also killed thousands of Kashmiris while thousands of Kashmiris are in India’s illegal imprisonment. Indian atrocities in Kashmir and against Indian Muslims are highly condemnable,” Zakria added.
He said his organisation appeals to the international community to condemn the continued occupation of Kashmir and the atrocities committed by India.
“We urge the South African government to stand with the oppressed people of Kashmir,” he said. “We also appeal to the international community to boycott any Indian move that is against the UN-recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mian Mohamed Zakria concluded.
