Pakistani-Americans
Say No ‘Capitulation’ in Peace with India
Washington, DC: A number of Pakistani-American
organizations while welcoming the recent thaw in Indo-Pak
relations have cautioned that the a “final settlement”
between the two countries must be made on the “principles
of peaceful coexistence.”
The organizations, including the Chicago Council of Pakistani
Organizations, the Pakistani American Council of Texas,
the Pakistan American Democratic Forum, the Pakistan Association
of Riverside and the Pakistan League of America, have come
together to express their support for peace in South Asia
while opposing “all forms of capitulation.”
In a joint statement they said, “We welcome and support
the current negotiations between Pakistan and India aimed
at establishing just and lasting peace in the region.
“We believe that the final settlement between India
and Pakistan should be based on the five principles of peaceful
coexistence, namely, sovereign equality, non-aggression,
non-interference, reciprocal and mutual benefit, and peaceful
co-existence.
“The final settlement should also enshrine the 10
principles of the 1955 Bandung Conference with particular
emphasis on ‘settlement of all international disputes
by peaceful means, such as negotiation, conciliation, arbitration
or judicial settlement, as well as other peaceful means
of the parties own choice, in conformity with the Charter
of the United Nations” and on “respect for justice
and international obligations,” the statement said.
The organizations stressed that any creative, out-of-the-box,
peaceful, just and lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir
issue must incorporate five key factors: genuine interests
of all parties, rights of religious and ethnic minorities,
equitable distribution of resources, most importantly water,
overall stability, and regional cooperation. “Respect
for existing treaties will be paramount in building confidence
and finding a lasting solution. The Indus Water Treaty signed
by India and Pakistan in 1960 assigned the three eastern
rivers, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas to India, and three western
rivers, Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab to Pakistan. This treaty
provides a useful framework to resolve serious and substantial
differences over India’s 11 water management projects
on rivers Chenab and Jhelum,” the statement said.
It asked the Pakistani-American community to remain engaged
with discussions about the shape of peace in South Asia.
A frank dialogue with Indian-Americans could help connect
the peace process to a shared vision, mutually agreed criteria,
thoughtfully identified milestones, and measurable outcomes.
“Those seeking to help build peace in South Asia must
also remain committed to restoration of democracy in all
countries of the region,” the joint statement declared.
The organizations said that while “we respect the
democratic right of each individual and organization to
choose any position on a given issue, we wish to prevent
the false impression that the honor bestowed upon extremist
BJP leader Mr. Lal Kishan Advani by the president of the
Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA)
represents the majority opinion of Pakistani-Americans.
Given the vigorous and widespread opposition within APPNA,
it may not even be a majority decision of that organization.”
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