APKC calls for end to HR violations

Urges government to adopt a coherent policy on Kashmir
Lauds Hurriyat leaderships’ role

Nisar Ahmed Thokar
Islamabad, Sep 21: While seeking world community’s role to end the bloodbath of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, the delegates at a conference have called on the UN to discharge it’s legal as well as moral obligations with regarding the final settlement of long-standing Kashmir dispute.

Held at a local hotel in Islamabad today, the All Parties Kashmir Conference (APKC) organized by Jamat-e-Islami AJK was attended by political and religious leaders hailing from both sides of the Line of Control (LOC). Besides the AJK president Raja Zulqarnain Khan, the conference was attended by acting prime minister of AJK Chudhary Aziz, Abdul Rasheed Turabi the Ameer Jammat-e-Islami AJK, former AJK premiers including Sikander Hyat Khan, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chudhary, Sardar Yaqoob Khan, Raja Farooq Haider Khan, former president Sardar Muhammad Anwar, PML-N spokesman Shah Ghulam Qadir, Khalid Ibraheem, Justice Majeed Malik, JKLF(Aman) president Advocate Sageer and several others whereas the APHC-M convener Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, Ghulam Muhammad Safi the convener APHC-G, Ghulam Nabi Nowsheri and Shoukat Ahmed Bhat were also present on the occasion.

Speakers on the occasion while deliberating on the different dimensions of the ongoing mass uprising in Kashmir stressed the need for sensitizing the world community with respect to Kashmiris’ peaceful struggle for right to self-determination.

Lauding the supreme sacrifices rendered by the people of Kashmir they made a passionate appeal to the peace-loving people of the world to support the people of Kashmir in their just and peaceful struggle to achieve the cherished goal. They also made it clear that the ongoing struggle was not just to get economic package or political concessions from India saying that it was all about the peoples’ right to self-determinaiton.

They also denounced in strong terms the gross human rights violations perpetrated by Indian military and paramilitary troops in Kashmir and said that India was trying to stifle Kashmiris’ voice by using its military might.

Referring to international covenants, they pointed out that the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir constitute the sole basis so for as the final settlement of the dispute was concerned.

Terming Pakistan as an important party to the dispute they said that the incumbent regime should reassert and revisit its wisdom on Kashmir. They were of the view that the government should adopt a coherent and unified Kashmir policy to send a positive signal across the line of control.

They urged the prime minister of Pakistan to contact the five permanent members of the Security Council to seek their support to bring about a peaceful solution of the long-pending dispute.

The participants of the conference adopted a joint declaration calling for an immediate end to the HR violations in Kashmir and demands release of detained Hurriyat leaders including Shabir Ahmed Shah, Ashraf Sahrai, Mian Abdul Qayyum Advocate and other political activists who have been languishing in various jails and detention centers in and out side Jammu and Kashmir.

The declaration also called for repealing of all draconian laws besides restoring the democratic rights of the people.

The conference while lauding China’s Kashmir policy urged the world including the OIC member countries to follow the same strategy with regard to Kashmir.

The conference also demanded the highest body to play its key role in resolving the dispute in line with Kashmiris’ aspirations.

The conference resolved that the government of Pakistan should convene an All Parties Conference take stock of the HR situation in Kashmir.

They also appreciated the Senate and National Assembly of Pakistan for adopting a unanimous resolution in support of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and deploring HR violations inflicted upon the people of Kashmir by Indian troops.

The conference also hailed the Hurriyat leadership for representing Kashmiri peoples’ aspirations unanimously in a very befitting manner.