In October 1947, outsider Pashtun tribesmen from Pakistan’s NWFP invaded the region of Kashmir in which thousands of people were massacred. The situation went uncontrolled all over the valley. In one such series of the massacre, 11000 people in Baramulla were killed by the invaders. The then Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh requested the Indian government to provide protection to Kashmir against the barbaric invaders.
On 26th October 1947, he signed an instrument of accession which is a legal document that ceded J&K to India. On 27th October the Indian army airlifted its troops and stopped the invaders in the valley within two weeks. Since then, Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and the Indian government taking full responsibility to protect its citizen from outsiders and anarchical forces. However, there have been many attempts by Pakistan to grab the territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the past and it has been a major hurdle in front of India to maintain peace in the region. These include multiple ceasefire violations and many terror funding activities due to which Pak is still on the grey list of FATF (Financial Action Task Force).
On August 5, 2019, the Central Government of India declared Article 370 of the Indian constitution null and void. The tussle between Pak and India over the issue of Kashmir took a new pace after the scrapping of Article- 370. Even after three years, there are umpteen malicious attempts of spreading deceptive information on this issue by Pakistan.
This DFRAC Exclusive report will analyze how Pakistan is trying to spread fake and spiteful misinformations against India on the matter of abrogation of A-370. In that series, on August 5, Pakistan embassies all over the world tweeted about the event to observe Youm-e-istehsal (day of Exploitation).
Pakistani social media users have launched a campaign targeting India with hateful posts and misinformation.
Claim-1: 60 lakh domiciles given to the Hindus of Kashmir
In the post below, Mushaal Mullick can be heard saying, ”Indian government gave 60 lakhs domicile to Indian People.”
The same claim can also be seen in the post of Daily Nawa-i-Waqt. The English translation of the tweet goes like this, “Kashmiris have been displaced from their own homes and thrown on the streets, 60 lakh domiciles have been given to the Hindus of Kashmir, Mushaal Mullick.” {English Translation}
Reality: According to the report, Jammu & Kashmir marching to new a tune, people getting the benefit of domicile include 41,884 families of displaced persons of POJK( 1947) and Chhamb( 1965/1971), 5,764 families of West Pakistani Refugees, 3,50,000 residents of border areas, and 44,000 families of Kashmiri Migrants.
And, as per the latest development, any person who has been in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir for a period of more than 15 years can apply for the domicile certificate online. GOI is providing domicile to a population living there irrespective of religion. Moreover, providing domicile means giving home not throwing Kashmiris outside on the streets.
Claim-2: Modi regime’s 5 Aug 2019 move meant to convert Muslims into a minority in J&K
A user tweeted, “5 August 2019 illegal action has exposed India before the world as an oppressor and aggressor 5th August is the blackest day for #Kashmiris Modi regime’s 5 Aug 2019 move meant to convert Muslims into a minority in IIOJK.”
Reality: There is no demographic change in the region of Kashmir. Even after three year later the Kashmir valley is a Muslim majority state. In fact, of the 90-member assembly, 47 seats are in Kashmir while 43 seats in the Jammu region. Kashmir is the Muslim majority area with, 97.16% of Muslims, as of 2014. The representation of Kashmir is more means the Muslim representation is more in the region.
In such a situation claiming that the government is trying to convert the Muslim Majority region of Kashmir into a Muslim minority is not right.
Claim-3: After August 5, 2019, Killings in J&K has increased
Many social media users have claimed that the abrogation of A-370 has led to even more killings in J&K. A user shared a picture along with the #5AugustYoumEIstehsal which claims that, “the killings since August 5, 2019, have been higher than those in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2019.”
Reality: According to ANI, “No civilian and police/SFs were killed in law-and-order incidents after the abrogation of Article 370 in the Valley: Kashmir Zone Police.”
Further, according to official data, number of people died in incidents due to Law and order and terrorism have decreased after 5th August 2019.
Claim-4: No Indian Flags hoisted in Kashmir
Many users have claimed that Indian National Flag were not hoisted anywhere in Kashmir. A user wrote, “It has been three years since India abolished the special constitutional status of Kashmir, Article 370, but Kashmir is still the same for India as it was in the nineties, there is no peak, no building, nothing in Kashmir where the Indian flag can be hoisted.
Reality: There are many incidents in Kashmir where Indian National Flag was hoisted after the abrogation of A-370.
Last year, Burhan Wani’s father hoists the national flag in Pulwama.
This year, 108-Feet Tall National Flag Installed In Kashmir’s Baramulla.
Hashtags Used
The most Hashtag trending on 5th August include #5AugustYoumEIstehsal, #KashmirisLivesMatter, #Kashmir and #5thAugustBlackDay. Some other Hashtags include #KashmirRejectsIndia, #KashmirIsPakistan, #Kashmir, #Article370, #KashmirisLivesMatter, #KashmirBleedsGreen, #کشمیربن_کررہےگاپاکستان.
User Creation Timeline
Analyzing over 1,500 users who all interacted with this hashtag, more than 500 accounts were created in July 2022.
Verfied accounts that tweeted
Verified accounts that tweeted oh the hastags include @Nawaiwaqt, @ForeignOfficePk, @KazmiWajahat, @roznamadunya, @MolB_Official, @Abb Takk, @AsadQaiserPTI, @AndleebAbbas, @NazBaloch, @ChMSarwar, @SAMAATV, @arynewsud, @Dunya News Rehamkhan1 AND @SMQureshiPTI.
Account Tweeted
The accounts that tweeted the most include @asianpeace_org, @Iskayani Urooj Fatima10, @shamoon_abbasio, @zarakayyy, @Itx Yashma, @SheSpeakMuch, @_YFKOfficial PakinNewZealand, @MeleehaHashmey, @QaisarWaqar um27766627, @SaairaSays, @iamseharsheikh, @Waqtnewstv, and @PakGovArabic.
Users Location
The majority of the accounts that tweeted on the hashtags were from Pakistan i.e., more than 1,300 accounts. Around 205 accounts participated from India as well which were mainly from Jammu & Kashmir. 68 accounts from United Kingdom, 130 from Thailand
Post Timeline
More than 3000 posts were done with the hashtags on 5th August, 2022.
Conclusion
This DFRAC exclusive have highlighted the propaganda of Pakistan against India over the issue of Kashmir. In many hate centric posts, the logo of Desire for freedom, Youth forum for Kashmir were used. It is a platform majorly operated by Pakistan. Pakistan had launched an Anti-India campaign of observing Youm-EIstehsal (day of Exploitation) on 5th August. To fulfil this agenda, it has left no stone unturn. There are lot of hateful and deceptive information posted by Pakistani social media. There have been efforts by Pakistan to portray that lot of atrocities is done on Muslims in Kashmir by the Indian Government. More than 30% of the population of the region is non-Muslim but the Pakistani government never seems to be concerned about them.
