Indian troops martyr three Kashmiris in IIOJK

According to the Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the youth were killed by troops during a cordon-off and search operation in Kakpora area of the district.

The identity of the martyred youth is yet to be ascertained, while the operation was going on till last reports came in.

Earlier yesterday, the federal cabinet rejected the proposal of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to import cotton and sugar from India.

The meeting of federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan was held in Islamabad in which the issue of importing cotton and sugar from India came under discussion.

Following the meeting, the Ministry of Commerce officials said that Pakistan has to import cotton to meet the shortage and importing cotton and sugar from India will be cheaper.

Opposing the import, the federal cabinet said that the needs should be met from the resources available within the country.

India has been trying to quell resistance in IOK for decades and reportedly martyred more than 200 people last year.

India on August 05, 2019 in a unilateral move abrogated Articles 370 and 35A granting special status to occupied Kashmir. The move was followed by imposition of curfew and communication blackout in the valley still intact.

On October 31, 2019 India formally divided the state of Jammu and Kashmir in to two new federally-administered territories as per the constitutional changes approved by the Indian parliament on August 5.

According to the new arrangement, the occupied Kashmir is divided into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which borders China. The two new union territories are now ruled directly from the capital Delhi. As per Indian constitution, union territories have far less autonomy from the federal government than states do.

Pakistan has, ever since, been raising its voice against Indian atrocities and gross human rights violations in Kashmir. Prime Minister Imran Khan also, in his historic speech at UNGA session last year, also highlighted how India has illegally imposed curfew and lockdown in the valley. He also warned the world that the worst humanitarian crisis could unfold in Kashmir followed by a possibility of war between the two nuclear states.

Even the international media, on several occasions, has highlighted the deteriorating situation in Kashmir resulting from the persistent curfew and lockdown.