Srinagar/Islamabad, Feb 5: An international conference on Kashmir held at the British Parliament has adopted a resolution expressing concerns over the plight of Kashmiri people.
According to ‘Radio Pakistan’, the resolution urged the international community including the United Nations to take immediate and effective measures to address the human rights situation in Kashmir.
“It called for resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions,” the radio report said.
Expressing solidarity with the Kashmiri people, it said, the resolution expressed the commitment to continue efforts for creating awareness and extend moral support to the Kashmiris.
Addressing the conference in London, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Kashmir is the oldest dispute on the UN agenda, adding “Pakistan will continue to support Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination”.
The Pak Foreign Minister said Indian rulers have been denying plebiscite in Kashmir as promised by their past leaders.
“India is using different tactics to change the demography of the held valley,” Qureshi alleged.
The Foreign Minister called upon the international community to break its “silence over the ongoing atrocities and grave human rights violations in Kashmir.”
“He also urged international media to raise the ground realities in the Indian held Kashmir before the world,” the report said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday observed Kashmir Solidarity Day, with top leaders extending their support to the people in the Valley and urging finding a just and peaceful resolution to the issue.
President Arif Alvi in his address in the Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered-Kashmir asked the Indian government to uphold the rights of the Kashmiri people.
He reiterated Pakistan’s “unflinching solidarity” with the people of Kashmir, ‘Radio Pakistan’ reported.
“We reassure our Kashmiri brothers and sisters that we will remain consistent in our principled position on Kashmir. The entire Pakistani nation stands with its Kashmiri brethren in their valiant struggle to achieve the legitimate right to self-determination.”
President Alvi also issued a list of demands for the Indian government, urging it to “free all political prisoners, uphold freedom of expression in Kashmir, ban the use of firearms against Kashmiri citizens, ban the use of pellet guns against Kashmiris, withdraw draconian ‘black laws’ in Kashmir, allow leaders to travel freely and ‘make their case abroad’, allow international rights observers into Kashmir to ‘see the situation for themselves’ and lift restrictions on electronic communications.”
The President urged the Indian government to lift restrictions on electronic communications in Kashmir so that international media and social media are in the know about what is happening in the occupied territory.
“If you are in the right, the world will come to know about it. And if you are in the wrong, the world will find out about,” President Alvi challenged the Indian government.
The President also asked the United Nations to send a fact-finding commission to Kashmir and “fulfill the promises it made to Pakistan and India”.
Prime Minister Imran Khan criticised India for its alleged atrocities in Kashmir.
He said seven decades have passed and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir remains unresolved.
The Pakistan government had planned a number of activities to mark the day.
A human chain was formed at D-Chowk in Islamabad with an active participation of people. Human chains will also be formed at all connecting points of Pakistan and Pakistan-administered-Kashmir.
Rallies, public meetings and seminars were also held across the country and in PaK. ((With Agencies inputs)
Geelani, Mirwaiz, Salahuddin thank Pakistan
Srinagar, Feb 5: Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday thanked Pakistan for observing ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ to highlight the cause of “Kashmir freedom movement”.
In separate statements, both leaders expressed their gratitude to Pakistan government and its people for their “unflinching support to people of Kashmir”.
A statement issued by Hurriyat-G said its chairman Syed Ali Geelani thanked Pakistan for observing ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ to highlight the “oppression and suppression against the people of Jammu and Kashmir at the hands of Indian forces.”
“We are highly thankful to Pakistan for their categorical support, and we hope Pakistan will play more effective and active role in this regard. They should activate all its embassies and other human resources to highlight Kashmir issue and human rights violations here,” Geelani said in his statement.
Hurriyat-M chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also thanked Pakistan for its “vigorous and unwavering support to our democratic struggle for right to self-determination.”
“As Pakistan observes #KashmirSolidarityDay people of Jammu & Kashmir express their gratitude to the state and its people for their vigorous and unwavering support to our democratic struggle for right to self-determination. Want to share that the backlash of grave human rights abuses, repression inflicted upon us the people of Kashmir for pursuing our dream is unprecedented!” Mirwaiz tweeted.
The United Jihad Council (UJC) chief Syed Salahuddin also thanked Pakistan for observing ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’.
Expressing gratitude to Pakistan, its people and the leadership of Pakistan-administered-Kashmir, he said time has come for the government of Pakistan to intensify its diplomatic, moral and media campaign to highlight the Kashmir cause.
Addressing a meeting of UJC on Tuesday, Salahuddin said the passion with which the government of Pakistan and its people are expressing solidarity with the people of Kashmir is exemplary and encouraging for Kashmiris, news agency GNS quoted Salahuddin as having said in a statement.
“The people of Kashmir and its leadership express gratitude to the people of Pakistan and its government for such solidarity,” he said.
