71 Margalla Papers-2020 (Issue-II) [71-82] INFRINGEMENTS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND UN CHARTER IN INDIAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR Maryam Azam * Abstract The Indian illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is a continuous denial of the right of self-determination, identity, independence, and freedom of expression to more than 12.55 million people. The Indian Armed Forces deployed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are extensively violating human rights and provisions of the UN Charter. Since the abolition of Articles 370 and 35 (A) from the Indian constitution in 2019, an additional 1.75 lakh Indian military personnel have also been deployed in Kashmir. This heavy deployment along with the imposition of yearlong lockdown and unwarranted subjugation of innocent Kashmiris is unprecedented. Against this backdrop, this paper intends to identify the humanitarian aspect of the Kashmir conflict that has entirely been disrespected by the Indian government. Communication, movement, and connectivity of the people of Kashmir has been cut off from the entire world. This paper also highlights that India is blatantly violating International Humanitarian Law and relevant UN Conventions in IIOJK. Despite this, the response of the international community towards this humanitarian crisis is bleak and inadequate. Keywords: Kashmir, Indian Occupation, International Law, UN Conventions, Right of Self Determination. Introduction nter and intrastate relations are influenced by international conventions as they provide general rules to govern and regulate the interaction between states. In this context, sovereignty, independence, and the right to self-determination are basic moral, legal, and internationally accepted norms and principles that people and governments strive to achieve and maintain as a part of their fundamental rights. These basic rights of the people of Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have been continuously denied by the Indian government for almost 72 years. Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan as well as a leading example of human rights violations committed by Indian armed forces in IIOJK. The tension between India and Pakistan on this long-standing issue has further escalated since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 (A) from the Indian constitution in August 2019. On August 6, 2019, the Indian Parliament repealed the special constitutional status of Kashmir, thus, creating an identity and legislative crisis for the people of IIOJK. * Dr. Maryam Azam is an Assistant Professor at the Department of International Relations, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore. I