India repeating Gujarat Muslim massacre in occupied Kashmir: Asif

ISLAMABAD: The history of Muslim massacres in India's Gujarat is being repeated in occupied Kashmir, Pakistan's foreign minister said Monday, adding that Islamabad would send delegations to different countries to address the issue.

Speaking at a news conference, the foreign minister accused India of state-sponsored terrorism in the occupied valley, and said that the Indian state is "playing holi with the blood of Kashmiris." 

Asif's statement came a day after the killing of at least 17 Kashmiri youth, including four killed in firing on funeral processions, by the Indian security forces in Islamabad and Shopian districts of the occupied valley.

The foreign minister said that the situation at the Line of Control (LoC) is tense due to the Indian government.

Pakistan’s Army chief says Indian atrocities cannot suppress Kashmiri struggle for self-determination

17 Kashmiri youth were martyred by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir on Sunday

He said that the Pakistan's federal cabinet met on Monday with a one-point agenda: to discuss the plight of Kashmiri people.

Asif said that the cabinet agreed to send delegations to different countries in view of apprising them of human rights abuses in the occupied valley. 

He said that he discussed Kashmir crisis with the Turkish and Iranian foreign minister, adding that the Muslim nations have openly supported Pakistan's stance on Kashmir.

'Deep shock, grief'

Earlier, Pakistan premier expressed "deep shock and grief" over Sunday's indiscriminate and vicious killings of Kashmiri youth.

PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the brutal crackdown, including the despicable use of pellet guns on civilians who were protesting against the killings, is deplorable.

PM condemns Indian aggression after 17 youth martyred in occupied Kashmir

A shutter-down strike is being observed in occupied Kashmir today against the Indian barbarism

He emphasised that Indian attempts to label the legitimate Kashmiri struggle as terrorism cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN resolutions.

Abbasi called on the international community to urge India to allow access to fact-finding missions to occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

'Indigenous struggle'

Abbasi's statement was followed by the Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) comments that "Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir can never suppress a just, indigenous political struggle for self-determination."

General Qamar Javed Bajwa said the brutalities of Indian security forces against innocent civilians in occupied Kashmir and ceasefire violations targeting civilians along the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary are highly condemnable.

The statements by the Pakistani leadership came amid a complete shutdown marked by curfew and restrictions in occupied Kashmir, against Sunday's killings of Kashmiri youth at the hands of Indian troops.

Thirteen youth were martyred in a siege and search operation and four in firing on protesters and funerals in Islamabad and Shopian districts of the occupied valley on Sunday.

The fresh wave of violence against Kashmiri people also left over 200 civilians injured.

April 6 declared as Kashmir Solidarity Day

PM Abbasi called a special meeting of the federal cabinet on Monday that reviewed the current situation arising from the recent Indian brutalities and killings in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir.

The cabinet, in its endorsed resolution, strongly condemned the brutal and discriminatory use of force by the Indian occupation forces. It decided to send special envoys to selected capitals to highlight the deteriorating situation in IoK.

Federal cabinet declares April 6 as Kashmir Solidarity Day

At least 20 Kashmiri youth were martyred and around 200 injured in operations by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir's Islamabad and Shopian districts

The federal cabinet emphatically condemned the suspension of communication services, especially the internet in the valley, and underscored that such reprehensible Indian attempts aimed at silencing the voice of the Kashmiris from reaching the international community would never succeed.

The meeting condemned the draconian laws, including POTA, TADA, PSA and AFSPA imposed by India in IoK. It further stressed that the deteriorating situation in occupied Kashmir and the Indian escalation at the Working Boundary and the LoC is a flashpoint and a threat to regional peace and tranquility.

It also reiterated the prime minister's request to the UN secretary general to appoint a special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, with a mandate flowing from the unimplemented UN Security Council resolutions.

The cabinet declared that April 6, 2018, be observed as Kashmir Solidarity Day, in support of the Kashmiri brothers and sisters against Indian brutalities.