Praising the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America, Prime Minister Imran Khan has suggested that Pakistani-American could a valuable voice to counter Indian narrative on Kashmir.
Speaking at an event in Peshawar, Khan asked APPNA to be a voice for Muslims “suffering in Kashmir and India at the hands of the RSS-led BJP government”.
The United States is home to around 15000,00 Pakistani-American doctors who have regular interaction with lawmakers and policymakers in the government. India has growing commercial and defense ties with the U.S. and Indian-American groups have influence on the Capitol Hill.
While hailing APPNA as the most powerful and influential Pakistani group overseas, the prime minister said the organization of the most educated and aware professionals should realize its tremendous potential to influence opinion about Kashmir in the United States.
“India’s lobby in America right now is far more powerful than Pakistan’s. India’s point of view always overshadows that of Pakistan and American policies for Pakistan are affected by that viewpoint,” he said, according to Dawn newspaper.
“What India is doing right now in Kashmir and with Muslims [in India] is in violation of all humanitarian laws and international laws. In the 21st century, we are witnessing a fascist, racist government,” he said amid ongoing protests across India against New Delhi’s move to leave out Muslims from being Indian citizens under a citizenship program.
“The programs they are bringing in are identical to those in Hitler’s Nazi Germany when they committed genocide of the Jews. The exact same pattern is being followed by the RSS-led BJP government in India,” Khan noted.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has defended the move to have a national register of citizens and the citizenship act, saying it is not against Indian Muslims but gives protection to persecuted minorities in regional countries.
But BJP Government’s moves have led to widespread protests in India including in Assam and UP province, where police has been accused of using excessive force against protesters.
Meanwhile, Kashmir continues to be in a state of clampdown with people denied freedom of expression and assembly under stringent measures that US lawmakers and international human rights organizations have called out for stifling dissent.
بین الاقوامی برادری بیدار ہو جائے قبل اسکے کہ بے لگام RSS مسلمانوں کےخون سےایسی ہولی کھیلےکہ تاریخ انسانی میں قتل عام کے دیگر واقعات ہیچ دکھائی دینے لگیں۔ ہٹلر کی خاکی وردی ہو یا RSS، جب بھی مسلح جتھوں کا خمیر کسی قوم کیخلاف بےجا نفرت سے اٹھایا گیا،حالات قتل عام ہی پر منتج ہوئے۔ https://t.co/5NAXEBX2vX
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 26, 2019
Islamabad, he said, has been trying to raise awareness in America on Kashmir crackdown and violence against Muslims but the APPNA group be a great help in reinforcing its efforts.
“Raise your voice for Kashmiris who have been suffering for five months in an open prison and not only for that but for the change in demography which is considered a war crime.”
On the Citizenship Amendment Act, Khan said it targets Muslims.
“Even enlightened Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis have stood up against an Act whose purpose it is to target Muslims,” he said.
“I don’t think you realise your lobbying strength. It is under utilised,” Khan said.
