Imran Khan laments over Kashmir issue on Twitter

Khan's tweets come just as Indian PM Narendra Modi is about to meet Xi Jinping

PTI10_9_2019_000161B Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in Beijing | PTI

Pakistan PM Imran Khan expressed his discontent over the Jammu & Kashmir situation with subsequent tweets. The Pakistan premier has constantly made clear that Pakistan does not approve of how India moved on J&K; created a state of emergency, putting prominent leaders under house arrest and abrogated Article 370, which ended the semi-autonomous status of Jammu & Kashmir. 

“For over 2 months with a complete blackout of communications, thousands imprisoned, including an entire spectrum of political leadership plus children, & a growing humanitarian crisis. In IOJK 100k Kashmiris have been killed over 30 yrs fighting for their right to self-determination as committed to them by the international community through UNSC,” he tweeted

Khan has over time, approached other world leaders including US President Donald Trump, Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and recently, Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Xi and Khan met on Wednesday, where they discussed Kashmir. Xi then said that he had been closely monitoring the Kashmir situation. To this India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "India's position has been consistent and clear that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. China is well aware of our position. It is not for other countries to comment on the internal affairs of India."

"China supports Pakistan to safeguard its own legitimate rights and hopes that the relevant parties can solve their disputes through peaceful dialogue," Xi had said.

Khan's tweets lamenting on how the media was no longer giving prominent coverage to the Kashmir situation comes just as Indian PM Narendra Modi is about to meet China's Xi Jinping at an informal summit at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.

“I am puzzled as to how international media continues to give headline coverage to Hongkong protests but ignores the dire human rights crisis in IOJK — an internationally recognised disputed territory illegally annexed by India with 900k troops imposing a siege on 8mn Kashmiris,” Khan wrote on Twitter. (Pakistan refers to PoK as IOJK)

In a tweet on October 5, Imran Khan urged Pakistan citizens 'not to cross LoC,' as it could play right into the Indian narrative. “a narrative that tries to divert from the indigenous Kashmiris' struggle against brutal Indian Occupation by trying to label it as "Islamic terrorism" being driven by Pakistan. It will give India an excuse to increase the violent oppression of Kashmiris in IOJK & attack across LoC,” he said in a tweet. This isn't the first time Khan has used the social media platform to voice his thoughts and garner people's support on the Kashmir issue. 

On August 29, he had tweeted, “I want all Pakistanis to come out tomorrow 12 noon -12.30 pm to show solidarity with the Kashmiri people and send the Kashmiris in IOK a clear message that the entire Pakistani nation stands in solidarity with them & against Indian fascist oppression, the inhumane 24-day curfew.”

His Twitter popularity has increased, making him the sixth most popular world leader on Twitter, the micro-blogging platform with 10.5 million followers.