Article 370: Malala Yousafzai appeals for peace

By Roshan bint Raheem

UK: Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan has appealed for peace in the Valley after the revocation of the provisions of Article 370,which grant special status for Jammu and Kashmir.

Taking to Twitter, Malala Yousafzai said, “The people of Kashmir have lived in conflict since I was a child, since my mother and father were children, since my grandparents were young. For seven decades, the children of Kashmir have grown up amidst violence.”

Expressing concern over the safety of the people of Kashmir, especially women and children, Malala said, “I am worried about the safety of the Kashmiri children and women, the most vulnerable to violence and the most likely to suffer losses in conflict.”

“There is no need for us to continue to suffer and hurt each other,” Malala asserted.

Appealing to the international community to ensure peace in the Kashmir, Malala said, “I hope all South Asians, the international community and concerned authorities will respond to their suffering. Whatever disagreements we may have, we must always defend human rights, prioritise the safety of children and women.”

On 5th August, the Indian Government announced the move to abrogate provisions of Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir.

The announcement was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha.

This latest move by the government gives full applicability of the Indian Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, only a set of limited provisions such as foreign relations,communication and defense had jurisdiction over Jammu and Kashmir.