Pakistan’s postal department published 20 ‘commemorative’ stamps titled ‘Atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir’, one of which has been reported as fake, after a Kashmiri Pandit group organization, ‘Roots in Kashmir’ (RIK) claimed that the photo was from an image from their protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in 2014.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on October 1, RIK said, “While the issuance of postage stamps was a malicious attempt to raise the bogey of Kashmir, we have found one stamp from a protest carried by us to protest against the forced exodus and exile of Kashmiri Pandits, the perpetrators of which are terrorists and subversives supported by Pakistan.”
Pakistan adds insult to injury by using picture of RIK PROTESTORS AGAINST PAK TERROR to propogate fake narrative of human rights violation by India. The real violation is done by Pakistan itself by ensuring the ethnic cleansing of the aborigines of Kashmir; the Kashmiri Pandits pic.twitter.com/cXoizZ883B
— Roots In Kashmir (@RootsInKashmir) September 30, 2018
The group said the stamps were a “spiteful attempt at denying the victims of ethnic cleansing a right to protest by appropriating symbols of protest”.
The RIK has urged the UN to intervene in the matter and demand Pakistan to withdraw the stamps. They have also sought for a formal apology from Pakistan, addressed to the Kashmiri community, for the crimes inflicted on them and the false representation they have resorted to by using the image.
The letter addressed to UN CHief Antonio Guterres. Image Courtesy: Times Now
One of the stamps ‘glorified’ slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani who was killed in the summer of 2016, which turned into one of the reasons why India called off foreign ministry meeting talks with Pakistan. Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan called the move ‘arrogant and disappointing.’
In a statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office said that the reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the foreign ministers’ meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing.
Moreover India had also said that Pakistan has issued stamps glorifying slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani.
PDP President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday reacting to the killings of policemen said that Government of India’s ‘muscular policy’ is clearly not working in the valley.
She also added that dialogue now seems to be a ‘distant dream’.
The RIK has urged the UN to intervene in the matter and demand Pakistan to withdraw the stamps. They have also sought for a formal apology from Pakistan, addressed to the Kashmiri community, for the crimes inflicted on them and the false representation they have resorted to by using the image.
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