NISAR AHMED THOKAR
Rawalpindi, Dec 9: Expressing discontent over the international community’s “pathetic” approach towards unending sufferings of Kashmiris, the Chairman of United Jihad Council (UJC) Syed Salahuddin on Thursday said that world had failed to stop gross human rights violations in the troubled region.
Addressing a news conference here the Hizb chief said that world powers had disappointed Kashmiris by maintaining “criminal silence” and remaining indifferent towards them.
Salahuddin termed Kashmir dispute as a “biggest threat” for regional peace and said that the conflict in this highly volatile region could trigger an Indo-Pak war.
Terming the ongoing struggle in Kashmir as indigenous he said that India had deployed over half a million troops to crush the mass movement.
Citing POTA, TADA, AFSPA and PSA, he said that under the garb of the infamous laws prevalent in the state, India had provided a legal protection to its forces to carry out “genocide of Kashmiris.”
Salahuddin, who was flanked by Hizb deputy commanders Khalid Saifullah and Umar Javid, said sacrifices rendered by Kashmiris would not go in a vain.
He said one of the positive aspects of the present non-violent struggle in Kashmir was that the saner elements in the Indian civil society had started to acknowledge the indigenous character of the movement. “People like Arundhati Roy, Gautam Naulakha and others expressing solidarity with Kashmiris shows that people in India too are for settlement of the Kashmir issue,” he added.
On US,China, Iran and EU countries’ role
Regarding the US president Barack Obama’s remarks on Kashmir, he said that the statement rejected India’s contention and made it crystal clear that Kashmir was a dispute that needed to be resolved peacefully.
He also appreciated China’s Kashmir policy and said that it was a significant development. He also lauded the role of European countries.
On Pakistan
Being an important party to the dispute he said that the government of Pakistan must not shy away from raising Kashmir issue at international level. He suggested the incumbent regime to be firm on its national policy on Kashmir saying that Musharraf government had seriously damaged the Kashmir movement.
Appreciating Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s recent statement regarding right to self-determination for Kashmiris he said, “It is encouraging that the present regime is firmly sticking to its traditional stand on the issue.”
However, he was quick to add that Pakistan government continued to appease India still.
On Indo-Pak talks
Expressing dismay over the outcome of peace talks between India and Pakistan, Salahuddin said the government of Pakistan should not hold talks with India unless latter accepts Kashmir as a disputed territory.
Salahuddin termed Kashmir dispute as a “biggest threat” for regional peace and said that the conflict in this highly volatile region could trigger an Indo-Pak war.
Terming the ongoing struggle in Kashmir as indigenous he said that India had deployed over half a million troops to crush the mass movement.
Citing POTA, TADA, AFSPA and PSA, he said that under the garb of the infamous laws prevalent in the state, India had provided a legal protection to its forces to carry out “genocide of Kashmiris.”
Salahuddin, who was flanked by Hizb deputy commanders Khalid Saifullah and Umar Javid, said sacrifices rendered by Kashmiris would not go in a vain.
He said one of the positive aspects of the present non-violent struggle in Kashmir was that the saner elements in the Indian civil society had started to acknowledge the indigenous character of the movement. “People like Arundhati Roy, Gautam Naulakha and others expressing solidarity with Kashmiris shows that people in India too are for settlement of the Kashmir issue,” he added.
On US,China, Iran and EU countries’ role
Regarding the US president Barack Obama’s remarks on Kashmir, he said that the statement rejected India’s contention and made it crystal clear that Kashmir was a dispute that needed to be resolved peacefully.
He also appreciated China’s Kashmir policy and said that it was a significant development. He also lauded the role of European countries.
On Pakistan
Being an important party to the dispute he said that the government of Pakistan must not shy away from raising Kashmir issue at international level. He suggested the incumbent regime to be firm on its national policy on Kashmir saying that Musharraf government had seriously damaged the Kashmir movement.
Appreciating Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s recent statement regarding right to self-determination for Kashmiris he said, “It is encouraging that the present regime is firmly sticking to its traditional stand on the issue.”
However, he was quick to add that Pakistan government continued to appease India still.
On Indo-Pak talks
Expressing dismay over the outcome of peace talks between India and Pakistan, Salahuddin said the government of Pakistan should not hold talks with India unless latter accepts Kashmir as a disputed territory.
He said that Kashmiris were not averse to talks but the dispute of Kashmir must be focal point in the Indo-Pak talks. It is a serious issue and can not be just ignored.
Kashmir, he said, was not a border dispute between the two countries but it was all about the inalienable right, the right of self-determination of the people of more 13 million people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Demanding inclusion of Kashmiris in talks he pointed out that the history stood testimony to the fact that over130 rounds of talks between two countries have not yielded any results till date. He said bilateral talks were bound to fail.
As per the international covenants he said that it was the sole prerogative of the people of Kashmir to determine their political future. “Whether they (people of Kashmir ) want to join India Pakistan
Replying to a query he said that India Kashmir with a strong resistance movement at its back was must to bring India Vietnam Algeria Afghanistan
Releases a report on HR violations in Kashmir
Before concluding the press conference UJC chief on the occasion released a report highlighting human rights violations in Kashmir . According to reports 94, 433 men and women have been killed during the ongoing struggle in Kashmir since 1989. The report reveals that 5, 78,948 men and women have been injured in various incidents of violence across the state, whereas 10, 314 men and women have been subjected to forcible disappearance during past two decades.
The report also pointed out that there were more than 5500 martyrs’ graveyards across J&K, 2700 unnamed graves, 60,000 orphans, 25,000 widows, 1500 half-widows in Kashmir whereas 1, 04, 801 structures including houses, shops have been either been set on fire, demolished or destroyed by the troops during military operations.
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