This year the Kashmir solidarity day was observed in the backdrop of intensified atrocities by Indian occupation forces that are systematically eliminating Kashmiris physically as well as economically as part of India’s campaign of ethnic cleansing. The occupation forces are engaged in all sorts of brutalities aimed at bringing about a demographic change to the disadvantage of Muslim population of Kashmir.
Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Yasin Malik slammed the international community’s criminal silence over the continued oppression of Kashmiris under Indian occupation forces. In a video message he thanked the Pakistani nation for standing in solidarity with the people of Kashmir on February 5. “On this day, I would like to ask the international community, was it you who said that there could only be a military solution in Afghanistan”? he asked. “Today the same international community is talking to the Taliban for peace in Afghanistan, because it has understood that no nation can be defeated using military might, and that the solution to all problems lies in talks.” Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, in his video message said that “The youth are being forced to take up arms without any concern for their futures, they are being pushed towards extremism”.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that all those who love freedom throughout the world must stand with the people of Kashmir. And President Arif Alvi demanded of Indian government to uphold the rights of the Kashmiri people instead of “justifying its terrorism” against innocent citizens. He asked India to immediately release all political prisoners in occupied Kashmir and allow freedom of speech to the Kashmiris.
This year, the day was observed in Pakistan, on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and other parts of the world at a time when Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir reached a new level of oppression and human rights denial to crush the indigenous freedom movement against the subjugating forces. Alongside Kashmiris the government of Pakistan had planned a number of activities to mark the day and expose massive human rights violations and brutality being committed by the Indian forces in the occupied Kashmir.
International Conference on Kashmir in the UK Parliament was the hall mark of this year’s solidarity day celebrations. Rehman Chisti, currently, chairperson of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pakistan (APPG-Pakistan) was the main organiser of the Conference. This conference was attended by all political parties from Pakistan and UK. AJK President and more than three dozen Pakistani parliamentarians were in attendance including opposition leaders. Dozens of Kashmiris representative groups also participated in the event.
While addressing the conference, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said we are here to express support to Kashmiris and all those who love freedom: “Humanity is bleeding in Kashmir, people are distressed, life is extremely difficult with each passing day. Rape, murder and killings and grievous injuries are daily occurrences”. He emphasized that the right to self-determination was a basic right of the Kashmiri people. “In Indian-occupied Jammu Kashmir, humanity is bleeding, no doctrine of state security or sovereignty can justify such heinous acts of violence”. Qureshi tweeted.
India had asked the UK to stop the Kashmir event in London, however the UK government declined. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) source said, “Members of Parliament are independent of the government; it is for individual members to decide who they meet and for what purpose”. MPs from Conservatives, Labour and Liberals were present in the gathering. Notable were the shadow foreign secretary of the Labour Party, Emily Thornberry and MP Debbie Abrahams. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi who served in former PM David Cameron’s cabinet as Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office also attended the conference. The first Sikh MP of Indian origin Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi was also present.
Conference resolution presented by Lord Qurban Hussain was unanimously approved by the international conference. It condemned the atrocities committed by Indian military on Kashmiris. The forum demanded world bodies to stop human rights violations in the Indian occupied territory. It also extended support to Kashmiris in their just struggle. Addressing the conference member British House of Lords, Sayeeda Warsi said “sexual violence in Kashmir as a tool of war is most horrific and India is failing to fulfil its responsibility”. Debbie Abrahams said international community needs to wake up to take interest in the issue of Kashmir and their right of self-determination. Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake said there is a special role for the UK government in terms of the historic role that it has to play for resolving the Kashmir dispute. Labour MP Sharron Debbie said Kashmir has become a horror story but peace can never be achieved by violent means. Ex-Prime Minister of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevick said Kashmir is the longest lasting conflict where people are suffering and “huge abuses have created refugee problem”.
AJK President Sardar Masood Khan said let’s hope this conference will bring worldwide realisation about Kashmir issue. He said, “International media has exposed massive human rights violations in Kashmir. There is global awareness but governments are tight lipped”. Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said, the right to self-determination is the fundamental right of the people of Kashmir” Senator Sherry Rehman said, “Over the time we have seen three generations of Kashmiris under a reign of unchecked terror. Sadly, the world conscience has not spoken up enough to end this impunity”.
The meeting determined that even as the sufferings of Kashmiri people have increased the dispute has not been addressed and it has negative implications for regional peace and security. The resolution stressed on the need of providing immediate medical assistance to the people of Kashmir who were shot by pellet guns.
A seminar to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day was organized at the Embassy of Pakistan, Washington DC. The event began with screening of a special video message by President Azad Jammu and Kashmir which emphasized the importance of a negotiated settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions. Speakers voiced deep concerns over the gross human rights violations being committed by Indian Security forces and paid rich tribute to the courageous people of Kashmir who remained steadfast in their resolve to free themselves from brutal Indian occupation. Speaking at the occasion, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed Khan said that Pakistan will continue to extend its unflinching moral, diplomatic and political support to the cause of self-determination of the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the international community, specifically the United States, to play its due role in resolving this longstanding dispute. A special documentary portraying the unabated and undeterred resilience of the Kashmiri people was also screened on the occasion.
The people of Pakistan expressed their complete support for their Kashmiri brethren on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day to draw attention of the international community towards the plight of Kashmiri people and the need for resolution of the longstanding dispute in accordance with the aspirations of people of Kashmir and UN resolutions. It is due to diplomatic efforts of Pakistan that more and more countries of the world and human rights bodies are expressing serious concerns over human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir. Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights has effectively exposed the human rights abuses and brutalities of Indian occupation forces against Kashmiris in its recent report. Constitution of commission of inquiry by the UNSG is now overdue.
