Fai Salutes the Enthusiastic Outpouring of Support for Kashmir Solidarity Day
Washington, DC: Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness Forum, has applauded the widespread and enthusiastic outpouring of support in the United States and around the world for the Kashmiris’ right of self-determination on Solidarity Day (February 5, 2018), a commemoration called by the Joint Political Resistance leadership (JPRL) of Kashmir.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Kashmir, the demonstrators drew world attention to the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir and urged the United Nations to fulfill her promise to help resolve the lingering dispute of Kashmir.
Fai observed, “I do not doubt for a minute that to regain much of what has been lost, the people of Kashmir are determined to present their peaceful objectives to the international community. Their objective is to seek a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict through dialogue, with the participation of all parties – Governments of India and Pakistan and the leadership of the people of Kashmir. Their view is one of inclusion. They believe that there is nothing to be gained by isolating groups with varying opinions.”
“We fail to understand why world powers do not want the Kashmiri participation in the talks when the right to choose the destiny of 22 million people was given by the UN Security Council to the inhabitants of the territory and not to the leadership in New Delhi or Islamabad. Any attempt to strike a deal between any two parties without associating the third, will always lead us to a barren land. So, the future negotiations must be tripartite between all parties concerned,” Fai added.
“The potential elements of a peaceful solution have been in place for nearly 70 years. The key principle that the people of Kashmir have the right, and should be provided the opportunity to decide the status of their land is laid out in the international agreements embodied in the United Nations Security Council resolutions and not only the governments of India and Pakistan, but the United Nations itself is committed to it. While alternative modalities can be a subject of negotiations, the principle has no substitute as the basis for an enduring settlement, the principle that the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir must be ascertained in seeking any final settlement,” Fai emphasized.
Professor Imtiaz Khan, President, Kashmiri American Council, said the truth is that the people of Kashmir themselves have always been hostile to the presence of India's troops on their soil and have resisted such oppression, and over hundred thousand Kashmiris have died within the past 28 years alone. Long-standing agreements in place have in fact afforded the Kashmiri people the right to determine their own destiny.
Dr M. A Dhar said, “The way to a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue lies in tripartite negotiations between India, Pakistan and the All Parties Hurriyet Conference.” He said that it was absolutely necessary to have third party mediation because history shows that bilateral arrangements have never worked out as India is always insincere.
Raja LiaqatKiyani called on India to accede to international law in Kashmir and to cooperate in holding a referendum. India itself will benefit by the vast savings in military and paramilitary force expenditure in Kashmir, and by the more favorable investment environment that would follow on the heels of peace in Kashmir.
Iqbal Chand Doddy said that the people of Kashmir have confidence that with goodwill and long-headed statesmanship the de-escalation initiatives in Kashmir by the Governments of India and Pakistan will flower into a peace with justice and charity for all.
Sardar Zulfiqar Roshan Khan said that India's gruesome record in Kashmir is far worse than the records of the Federated Republic of Yugoslavia in Kosovo and Indonesia in east Timor, all of which provoked international outrage and more. The Kashmir dispute deserves the same response from the world community.
SardarZubair Khan asked why, after 70 years of dispute is the question of Kashmir, land of the "gentle race," still lurking in the shadows of international relations, still unresolved, despite its seemingly relative unimportance to global interests in matters of resources and international trade?
Choudhary Zafar Iqbal said the lives and hopes of Kashmiris should not be snuffed out by a "might-makes-right" approach to international relations and morality.
Mohammad Yaqub Jan said that for more than half a century, India has treated Kashmiris more like ink blots to be ignored than as human beings to be respected.
Khalid Faheem urged the United States to persuade India and Pakistan to initiate a meaningful dialogue between all parties concerned to settle the dispute to the satisfaction of the people of Kashmir.
SardarAftab Roshan Khan expressed serious concern over the silence of the world powers over the semi- genocidal situation in Kashmir. He said that the silence of world powers has given a sense of immunity to the Indian army in Kashmir.
Mohammad Amer and Murtaza Mohammad were among the organizers of the event. - gnfai2003@yahoo.com
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