Al-Qalam 
BySalman I Khan
Every year, 5 August is observed as Youm-e-Istehsal (Day of Exploitation) to commemorate the unilateral actions taken by the Government of India on 5 August 2019, when it revoked the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir. This move was widely criticized for being implemented without the consent of the Kashmiri people and under an unprecedented military lockdown, communication blackout, and severe restrictions on civil liberties.
From a South African perspective, the Kashmir issue resonates deeply with the historical struggle against apartheid, political exclusion, and the denial of a people’s right to determine their own future. South Africans understand that lasting peace cannot be built through force, demographic engineering, or the suppression of political voices. The principles of justice, equality, and self-determination that guided South Africa’s liberation struggle remain equally relevant to Kashmir today.
The constitutional amendments of 5 August 2019 altered the internationally recognised disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir. Critics argue that these measures violated the spirit of United Nations Security Council resolutions which recognize Kashmir as a disputed territory whose future should be determined through the will of its people. Furthermore, the subsequent changes to domicile and land laws have raised concerns regarding demographic transformation and the erosion of the region’s political and cultural identity.
International human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over restrictions on freedom of expression, arbitrary detentions, media censorship, and limitations on political activity in the region. Such measures undermine fundamental rights protected under international human rights law and democratic norms.
On Youm-e-Istehsal, people around the world reaffirm their solidarity with the people of Kashmir and call for a peaceful, just, and durable resolution of the dispute in accordance with international law and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The observance serves as a reminder that peace is inseparable from justice, and that the voices of oppressed communities must never be silenced.
