MUZAFFARABAD: Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, a refugee organization, here on Sunday issued a report on the occasion of “International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression” claiming 1450 children and teenagers have been martyred by Indian armed forces in the Indian illegally occupied jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since 1989 till now. From 1989 to 2003, 930 children were martyred and at least 530 more by 2023, the report said.
The report added that at least 35 minors were martyred in tear gas shells and pellet gun attacks, while the rest were martyred by direct bullet fire besides tortures and fake encounters.
While mentioning particular cases, the report said a 14 year old Tufail Mattu was shot with pellet gun while playing whereas 10,000 civilians were hit by lethal pellet fire during the 2016 mass protests after the execution of famous freedom fighter Burhwan Wani while 5 years old Bareena and 8 years old Zafeer who were on their way to the petrol pump with their father were brutally killed.
“The worst proof of Indian brutality is Insha Mushtaq, a 17-year-old girl who still lives with a disfigured face and blind eyes,” the report said.
The report further disclosed that Hiba Nisar, 2 year was also a victim of pellet gun while In 2010, Sameer Ahmed, 9 was beaten to death by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) when he was on the way to his friend’s house to play carom.
In 2016, Nasir Shafi (11 years) was attacked with a pellet gun and his body was found in the bushes the next day while his father claimed that his body was badly riddled and had signs of torture.
“In Sopore, a 3 years child’s grandfather was shot in front of him, after which he sat on the martyred chest and cried to lift him whose picture went viral on social media,” the report further quoted.
The report stated that thousands of minor Kashmiri children were detained by the Indian Army under the “Public Safety Act” which had already been declared as “Illegal and Unjust Law” by Amnesty International.
The report further claimed that a minor Muslim girl Aseefa was sexually assaulted by Hindu policemen in Kathua during this time.
The Indian Army has been using schools as military bases, interrogation centers and military outposts in IIOJ&K.
The report revealed that dozens of such incidents took place in the Kashmir Valley which proved that Indian soldiers were killing innocent Kashmiri children with a plan genocide.
It was also stated that Indian military attacks on innocent Kashmiri children is to maintain its coercive rule over the internationally recognized disputed state and such type of brutal state violence against children is an open challenge to the world’s justice system.
In the report, an impartial investigation was called under the supervision of the United Nations about Indian soldiers involved in killing of children.
