One Year of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir Under Siege. August 05, 2020 (2020-6A)

 

Kashmiris have been resisting Indian state oppression ever since 1947. On 5 August 2019, India unilaterally and illegally attempted to alter the internationally recognized disputed status of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K) in sheer contravention of international law and corresponding UNSC Resolutions. This illegal act was preceded by imposition of an unprecedented military siege and communication blockade that continue to date. The defenseless people of IOJ&K remain deprived of their fundamental human rights and freedoms including rights to life and health despite rampant deadly pandemic of COVID-19.

Government of Pakistan has constantly been sensitizing the international community through political, diplomatic and media outreach about ongoing Indian state-terrorism in IOJ&K. While innocent Kashmiris are still subjugated to military siege, a special postage stamp is issued on 5 August 2020 to mark 365 days of an unprecedented spate of arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings and other gross abuses of human rights in IOJ&K. The stamp depicts one of the worst incidents of Indian state-terrorism in IOJ&K as elaborated below:

a.    The Sketch of an innocent Kashmiri, Bashir Ahmed, who was martyred by Indian Security Forces on 1 July 2020 in Sopore, with his 3-years old grandson crying for his grandfather's life, reflect India's heartlessness and utter barbarity towards Kashmiris.

b.    Indian Soldier shooting an innocent Kashmiri infront of his grandson vindicates Pakistan's stance that India is perpetrating worst state-terrorism in IOJ&K.

c.    The Map of IOJ&K is bound by a barbed wire which symbolizes how Kashmiris are cut off from the rest of the world because of continued military siege and communication blockade in IOJ&K.

d.    Blood-stained figure 365 represents the number of days for which IOJ&K has been besieged by Indian security forces since illegal and unilateral actions of India on 5 August 2019.

e.    A blood-soaked cutter in the middle symbolizes the killing spree in IOJ&K by tyrant Indian forces, particularly after 5 August 2019.

f.     The wording "The Struggle continues" mentioned in the bottom left of the stamp, shows Kashmiris resolve to continue to fight for their freedom against all odds.

g.    Human figures in red and green colors at bottom depict Kashmiris. The red ones symbolize Kashmiri martyrs who lost their lives at the hands of fascist Hindu regime while striving for freedom; the greens are the ones still surviving Indian state-terrorism and are continuing struggle of their forefathers.

h.    "Kashmir Pakistan Ki Sheh Rug" written on the left side, depicts importance of Jammu & Kashmir for Pakistan and resonates our resolve that Pakistan will leave no stone unturned to rid our Kashmir brethren from the atrocious Indian rule.

i.      The overall frame of the postage has 52 border cuts showing that Kashmir is under brutal Indian siege for last 52 weeks.

j.      Rs 58, cost of the Stamp links it to 5th August (8th month of the last year) when India unilaterally and illegally revoked special status of IOJ&K through abrogation of Article 370 & 35-A, of Constitution of India.

On one year of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir Under Siege, Pakistan Post is issuing a Special Postage Stamp of Rs. 58/- denomination on August 05, 2020.