Islamabad, January 12, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Chairman of Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR), Altaf Hussain Wani, has asked the American origin weapon manufacturing company SIG SAUER to stop arms supply to India whose forces have been involved in the genocide of Kashmiris in the UN-recognized disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter addressed to Ron Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SIG SAUER, the KIIR chief while expressed his deep concern over the arms deal between the government of India and Sig Sauer. He said providing military equipment to India’s repressive and human rights-abusing regime simply means allowing more bloodshed and violence in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The government of India was set to acquire SIG SAUER assault rifles and pistols for police and armed forces to counter the ongoing anti-India resistance movement in IIOJK. The BJP government had recently approved the acquisition of the new batch of around 72,500 Sig Sauer assault rifles under fast-track procedures. As per reports the new lot of 500 SIG SAUER-716 rifles and 100 SIG SAUER MPX 9mm pistols will be provided to the Indian police and other agencies deployed in the occupied territory.
Referring to the disputed nature of Kashmir, Altaf Wani, said, “Jammu and Kashmir is a UN-recognized disputed territory that awaits a settlement under the UNSC resolutions, which guarantee the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir.” India, he said, has since long been reluctant to implement these resolutions, and instead of fulfilling their international obligations, the Indian rulers have used all means of oppression to stamp down any sign of political dissent in the territory.
Given the Indian army’s worst human rights track record, the KIIR chairman said, “There is fear that the fresh arms supply to India would further deepen the persisting humanitarian crisis in Kashmir as Indian forces deployed in the region would use this weapon to kill Kashmiris who are demanding nothing more than the legitimate rights guaranteed to them by the international community”.
He said the Indian military has frequently used the so-called non-lethal lethal weapons to control political unrest in IIOJK that have led to uncounted deaths and serious human rights abuses. “In any situation where it is impossible to avert the risks that arms will be used to commit human rights abuses, companies should stop supplying weapons altogether, especially to the irresponsible states like India whose forces have been involved in the genocide of Kashmiris,” he maintained.
It is worth mentioning here that France, Germany, and many other countries had refused to provide arms to Gujarat police in India after the 2000 riots that led to the ruthless massacre of thousands of Indian Muslims.
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