VIENNA: Speaking at the World Conference on Human Rights, Mrs.Nusrat Bhutto the leader of the Pakistani delegation blasted India for its merciless repression of the Kashmiris. Comparing the plight of people of Kashmir to that of the Palestinians she said, “There is another instance where the right of self-determination of the people has been suppressed for over four decades Jammu and Kashmir,

Mrs. Bhutto said that a brutal campaign of repression had been launched in Jammu and Kashmir in which “thousands of Kashmiris have died mostly young men and boys arrested arbitrarily, tortured and then shot” She added, “thousands languish in Indian prisons. Most are subjected to the vilest forms of torture imaginable, Hundreds of Kashmir women have been raped, to humiliate the Kashmiris into submission.”

She accused India of having “adamantly spurned’ repeated efforts by Pakistan to open a serious dialogue on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute between the two countries. She warmed the world community that there were reasonable grounds to believe that India is going to step up the intensity of its campaign of repression in Kashmir after the end of the world conference on Human Rights.

She said, “Two Indian Army di visions have been recently in ducted into Kashmir valley to supplement 200,000 troops already there. Helicopter gunships and other machines of repression are likely to be used to achieve a “final solution” in Kashmir.” Mrs. Bhutto warned India that the Kashmiri spirit will not be broken because their struggle has popular support and they wanted independence. “India must recognize that the Kashmiri struggle is entirely indigenous struggle and India will fail in breaking the spirit of the Kashmir resistance. No people who are willing to die for freedom can be kept in bondage.”

She appealed to the world community to halt India’s brutal campaign of repression torture and killing in Kashmir. India must be pressed to enter into talks with Pakistan and resolve the dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the Simla agreement.

Article extracted from this publication >>July 2, 1993