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Tensions in Indian occupied Kashmir escalated Sunday night, as Indian authorities deployed thousands of troops in the region and imposed a lock down. According to an AFP reporter, communication lines are restricted, with private mobile networks, internet services and telephone landlines being cut.

In what is being touted as the darkest period for Kashmir since the partition of the sub-continent, India has also decided to revoke the special status for Kashmir, under which the princely state had originally agreed to join India in 1947. The political climate is uncertain and according to reports, tensions along the LoC have escalated by a great measure, with civilians being killed; tourists have also been asked to evacuate the region.

In a show of solidarity with Kashmir and in an effort to bring attention to the crisis, #StandWithKashmir has been trending on Twitter, with a number of celebrities with large followings also tweeting about it.

Celebrities like Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan, Shaan Shahid, Mawra Hocane, and Mehwish Hayat, amongst others, are using their platform to address the issue and shed some much needed light on it.

Tweeting with the hashtag #KashmireUnderThreat, actor Hamza Ali Abbasi urged the fraternity to raise their voices against the injustices being inflicted on Kashmir and its people. “If in your heart you realize that there is zulm on a mass scale in our very backyard & you should raise a voice (that’s the least we can do) but you still stay silent, then remember that this fan following will become your biggest trial & you’ll be answerable for this silence in front of your Lord,” he tweeted.

 

 

In typical fashion, Shaan took a dig at Indian Prime Minister Modi, posting a picture of him bathing in the Ganges with a powerful caption:

 

 

Veena Malik, who has earlier worked in India for an extended time period, also voiced her dissent with the actions of the Indian government. “Independence is the fundamental right of Kashmiri people and no one can deprive them of their basic right through the use of force,” she stated.

 

https://twitter.com/iVeenaKhan/status/1158000445404700672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1158000445404700672&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftribune.com.pk%2Fstory%2F2028344%2F4-standwithkashmir-pakistani-celebrities-speak-indian-atrocities%2F

 

She also posted a picture flipping off the ‘Indian brutality in Kashmir’:

 

https://twitter.com/iVeenaKhan/status/1157746702566248448

 

Mehwish Hayat also addressed the situation, pointing out how Indians are blatantly committing war crimes:

 

 

Actress Mawra Hocane, who also holds a law degree, also questioned the world’s silence. Demanding attention for the crisis, Mawra raised important questions; “Where is UNHRC? It’s inhumane. Do we live in such dark times? Countless conventions to protect human lives? What about all the rights & rules we are taught in the books? Do they mean anything?” she asked. 

 

 

Mahira Khan, who is never the one to keep silent on important issues, took to Twitter to raise concern. “Have we conveniently blocked what we don’t want to address?” she questioned.

 

 

Actor and producer, Hareem Farooq, issued a call for action from her followers and questioned why the world refuses to acknowledge the severity of the Kashmir crisis:

 

 

Ali Rehman Khan also wondered why the UN was still mum about the issue and why no major news channels are reporting as extensively as they should be:

 

 

Actor Adnan Malik prayed for peace in the region, and for the international community to take notice:

 

 

Feroze Khan also showed solidarity with the Kashmiri people: