Islamabad seminar calls for early settlement of
K-dispute
Lauds
Shah for his role in advancing cause of right to self-determination
Nisar Ahmed
Thakur
Islamabad: Seeking an early and peaceful settlement of lingering
Kashmir dispute the speakers at a seminar hosted by Jammu
and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party here on Tuesday urged
the world community to play its due role in resolving the
long drawn conflict, which they said was the main cause and
consequence of rights violations in the region.
The seminar titled "The Freedom Struggle of Kashmir and
role of Shabir Ahmed Shah" was presided over by Moulana
Fazl-ur-Rehman the former chairman Parliamentary Kashmir Committee
and
PICTURE IN FOCUS
15-Jan-2019: JUI-F chief and former Chairman
Kashmir Committee Moulana Fazl-ur-Rehman while presiding
a seminar titled "The Freedom Struggle of Kashmir
and Role of Shabir Ahmed Shah held under the aegis of
Democratic Freedom Party at Islamabad Hotel.
addressed by JI-AJK Chief Dr. Khalid Mehmood,
JUI-AJK leader Moulana M Yousuf, Sardar Usman Attique Khan,
Moulana Ab. Aziz Alvi, senior vice president Democratic Freedom
Party Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, Shaikh Tajamulul Islam Executive
Director Kashmir Media Service, Syed Faiz Naqashbandi convener
APHC-Pak chapter, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, Ghulam Muhammad
Safi, Moulana Ghulam Nabi Nowshahri, Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani,
Syed Abdullah Gilani convener APHC-Pak chapter, Altaf Hussain
Wani, Altaf Bhat, Prof. Nazir Ahmed Shawl, Rafique Ahmed Dar,
Aslam Malik, Abdul Mateen and several others.
The speakers on the occasion paid eulogizing tributes to the subjugated but determined masses of Jammu and Kashmir for their resilience, courage and determination in the face of "Indian brutality and state-repression". They also paid homage to Kashmiri martyrs who have laid down their precious lives in pursuit of the noble cause of freedom from Indian subjugation. The seminar also appreciated veteran Hurriyat leader Shabir Ahmed Shah for his unwavering commitment, indomitable role and peerless contribution towards the ongoing struggle for right to self-determination. Terming Shah as symbol of courage and perseverance they said that the incarcerated leader has spent half of his life in Indian jails, detention and interrogation centers in and outside Kashmir valley. The speakers termed the arrest of DFP chairman Shabir Ahmed Shah and others by the official of Indian Enforcement Directorate as ultra-vires saying that the ED had no legal authority to arrest Kashmiri leaders.
The speakers denounced in strong terms what they called the stepped up Indian state terrorism, genocide of Kashmiri youth and use of excessive force against civilians by Indian forces, arrest of minors under notorious Public Safety Act (PSA) and the recent spate of violence that had resulted in widespread destruction and death of over 500 Kashmiris during year 2018. They also lambasted the government of India for using National Investigation Agency as a tool to harass and humiliate Hurriyat leaders and their families.
Voicing their serious concern over the Indian naked aggression, unprovoked shelling on civilian population by Indian forces on the line of control (LoC) the speakers observed that the Indian government's policy of deceit and deception and its hegemonic designs was as a direct threat to peace and stability in South Asia.
The seminar further acknowledges the fact that the right of self-determination was an inalienable and non-negotiable right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, guaranteed to them by no less an authority than the United Nations. They stated that a just settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions is imperative for a lasting peace and stability in the South Asian region. Decrying India's muscular policy on Kashmir the speakers made it clear that Kashmiris' ongoing legitimate and indigenous political struggle for right to self-determination could not be suppressed in the guise of so-called terrorism mantra being paddled by India saying that India's policy of intransigence was the biggest hurdle in peaceful settlement of the lingering Kashmir dispute.
Highlighting the legitimacy of Kashmiris' struggle they said that Kashmir dispute was fundamentally a political and legal issue that needs to be addressed in its true legal and historical perspective. They realised that for any positive change to take place in Kashmir, India needs to reverse its current course, allow an unhindered access to international human rights organizations to investigate ongoing human rights violations in the region.
Stressing the need for peace settlement of Kashmir dispute they said, "Tripartite dialogue involving Kashmiris, Pakistan and India is the best way forward to address the long-running dispute of Jammu and Kashmir".
Ruling out a military solution to the Kashmir issue they said that India must acknowledge the ground reality and sit across the table with Pakistan and genuine representatives of the Kashmiri people to work out modalities for a peaceful settlement of the festering dispute.
Welcoming the first-ever report issued by the Office of United Nations Human Rights Commission and the All Parties Parliamentary Kashmir Group of the UK parliament report on the situation in occupied Jammu & Kashmir the participants of the seminar termed these reports as eye-opener for International Community and an indictment of New Delhi's destructive & dodgy role in Kashmir.
Hailing Pakistan's continued political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmir cause and its commitment to peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute they urged the incumbent democratic dispensation of Pakistan to launch a vigorous campaign at the international level to sensitize the world about the appalling situation of human rights in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.
The speakers observed that for an effective Kashmir awareness campaign at International level the government and foreign office of Pakistan must identify articulate voices with an in-depth knowledge on the subject.
Urging New Delhi to fully respect the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir as protected under international law the seminar demanded establishment of commission of inquiry (CoI) as recommended by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in his report dated June 14 2018.
Voicing their serious concerns over the massive troops' concentration in Kashmir the speakers maintained that the UN Secretary General must ensure that Indian security forces are brought under three restraints i.e. behaviour, number and location as envisaged in the UNSC resolution of 21 April 1948.
The participants of the seminar called on international community particularly the UN to pressurize India to put an immediate halt to continued bloodshed, systematic violence and flagrant human rights violations in Kashmir, stop the blatant use of chemical weapons and pellet-firing shotguns, which they said have been responsible for blinding, killing and traumatizing people in Kashmir.
A declaration issued at the end of seminar also urged upon the UN secretary general to influence India to allow a fact finding mission to visit Kashmir to investigate the grave situation in the disputed territory in line with recommendations of the UNHRC report.
The declaration sought revocation of all black laws granting sweeping impunity to Indian forces, restrictions on media, internet and social network and restoration of fundamental freedoms i.e. freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association in Kashmir.
Through another resolution the seminar sought safety and early release of Kashmiri prisoners languishing in jails, detention and interrogation centers in and outside occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Curbs after killings add to brutalities: JKDFP
Srinagar December 17 : In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) has said that curbs and restrictions after killing add to
brutalities. The JKDFP spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar strongly condemned the imposition of curfew in Srinagar and south Kashmir areas and said Indian authorities and their local agents don’t allow people even to
mourn. He said caging people after every brutal killing has become a norm in Kashmir and ironically the Indian authorities are posing as if nothing is wrong in the disputed region. Unfortunately, the whole world is deceived by the Indian propaganda and there is not a single voice in the whole world to condemn the Indian brutalities in Kashmir, the spokesman
added. He said the men in uniform have been set free to kill and injure whosoever tries to raise voice against the ongoing state terrorism in Kashmir.
The killing of unarmed civilians has become a norm in the disputed region and this all is done by a country which claims to be the largest democracy. The party, however, pledged to take the cause of freedom forward at any
cost. The spokesman hailed the steadfastness of the people of Kashmir against the brutal and inhuman approach of India. He said people of Kashmir have burnt down their boats and they have decided to keep the journey on until they are granted an opportunity to decide about their political
future. Expressing solidarity with the people, whose nears and dears were massacred by the Indian forces at Kharepora area of Pulwama, the spokesman said blood of innocent youth will soon destroy the castles of oppression.
Saghar concerned over HR violations in Kashmir
Islamabad December 10 :
The former convener of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (Pak
chapter) and senior vice president of Democratic Freedom Party
Mehmood Ahmed Saghar while voicing his serious concern over
the worsening human rights situation in Kashmir has urged
the international community to help resolving Kashmir dispute,
which he said was the cause and consequence of rights violations
in the region. In a press statement issued here on Monday,
the DFP leader said that world community's silence over the
grim situation of Kashmir had given a sense of impunity to
India and its forces to commit more human rights violations
in the region. Referring to a report released by International
Forum for Justice Human Rights JK (IFJHRJK), he said that
in 2018 as many as 103 civilians were killed by Indian troops
in Kashmir. Seeking an end to continued bloodshed in Kashmir
Saghar regrettably noted that innocent people were being arrested
on frivolous charges and detained in different jails while
the youth are being pushed to the wall. Calling for a peaceful
and early settlement of long running dispute he said, "While
the world is observing International Human Rights Day, today,
I call upon International human rights agencies to take serious
notice of human rights violations committed by Indian troops
in the region and force India to stop the violations". Terming
India as a violator of international
covenants Saghar said that the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, which became the global standard for defending and
promoting human rights all over the world, was being trampled
down by India in Kashmir where fundamental rights of the Kashmiris
are not protected. "Innocent civilians particularly youth
are being killed day in and day out, people are being thrashed,
harassed and humiliated, whereas the political leadership
has been thrown behind the bars", he said adding that
Kashmir has been turned into a virtual jail where no one has
right to speak. Terming Indian hegemony as a biggest threat to peace in the
region he said that it was high time that the world community
should come forward in a big way to help resolve this dispute
that has brought death and destruction in the region.
