Islamabad seminar flays 'arbitrary detentions' in JK
NISAR AHMED THOKAR
FIaying 'arbitrary detentions' a seminar titled `Illegal detentions in Kashmir and Indian mechanism to muzzle people’s voice---our responsibilities’ called upon the government of Pakistan, civil society organizations and other relevant bodies to come forward to highlight the plight of Kashmiris at the international level.
The seminar hosted by Muslim League here in the Pakistan capital today was chaired by the Executive director Kashmir Media Serivice, Sheikh Tajamulul Islam. A galaxy of speakers including former federal minister and human rights activist Jai Sallik, renowned jurist and former chief justice of PaK, Justice ® Manzoor Gilani, Professor Maqsood Hussain Jafry, rights activist Professor Shahid Iqbal, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, Muslim League leader Ishtiaq Hameed, Altaf Hussain Wani, Abdul Rasheed Turabi, Shameema Shawl and others addressed the seminar. Chairman Pakistan Muslim League (N) and its leader in the senate, Raja Zaffar-ul-Haq was chief guest on the occasion.
Expressing dismay over the recent spate of killings in Kashmir, the speakers said that it was quite unfortunate that civil society, public representatives, the media and even the Pakistan’s parliamentary committee on Kashmir remained silent and kept watching the bloodbath of innocent civilians like mute spectators.
Terming Kashmir Committee as a toothless body they said that it has miserably failed in its objectives to seek world community’s attention towards atrocities committed by Indian troops in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. They said it was hoped that the committee would at the least raise the issue of human rights violations in the parliament but regrettably nothing was done in this regard. “They could have brought the issue to the floor of the house (national assembly), at least, shed a few tears to sympathize the victims back in Kashmir”, one of the speakers said while commenting on the situation.
Referring to arbitrary detentions they said that India has been using arrests and continuous house detentions as a potent tool to stifle the voice of dissent in Kashmir. “As per the international covenants arbitrary arrests are unlawful and a serious crime against humanity”, they said adding that India by virtue of this strategy wants to keep Hurriyat leadership away from the common masses.
Terming women folk and children as the worst sufferers of the long drawn conflict in the region, Shameema Shawl said, “The new generation (youth) that grew up in a state of war in Kashmir had witnessed the dreaded face of oppression over the years”. Highlighting the plight of Kashmiri women she said, “The soul-wrenching stories emanating from Kunan Poshpora speak volumes about occupation forces’ brutality and violence against Kashmiri women”. She observed that the terrible tale re-written by young writers of Kashmir was sufficient enough to prove Indian war crimes.
Professor Shahid Iqbal said that Indian forces were carrying out genocide in Kashmir. He said that a pro-active policy was needed to expose the atrocities inflicted upon the people of Kashmir by Indian troops. APHC leader Altaf Hussain Wani said that adequate and relevant information was needed to invoke international mechanism to make India accountable at international forums.
Professor Jafri said, “Since the dispute of Kashmir is a potential threat to global peace it is incumbent upon the United Nations to take effective measures to settle the long pending dispute peacefully”. “When international peace is endangered then chapter no 7 of the UN gets automatically invoked”, he said.
Muhammd Farooq Rehmani the chairman of Peoples Freedom League said that it was unfortunate that the recent blood bath in Kashmir went unnoticed on this side of line of control. He observed that the parliamentary committee that was supposed to raise this issue in the parliament did not utter a single word on the issue. Regarding detentions he said that since 1947 till date India had enforced a series of ordinances and enforced over a dozen notorious laws to enslave Kashmiris by one way or the other way. He said Enemy ordinance Act, POTA, TADA, PSA, AFSPA and other acts were put in place with a view to kill voice of dissent in Kashmir. Despite these repressive policies he said, “Indians call Kashmir as its crown”.
JI chief Abdul Rasheed Turabi said that Muslim world was highly concerned over the prevailing political and human rights situation in Kashmir. Regarding the dissenting voices in Kashmir he said political leadership on both sides of the line of control were united on one agenda that is the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. Regarding the role of base camp, he said that government of Pakistan should empower the government of region (PaK) so that it could play its much needed role at international level.
He was of the view that international pressure on India could not be mounted unless and until Pakistan sets a bottom line with regard to its relations with India. He also raised questions about the role and contribution of Pakistan’s parliamentary committee on Kashmir.
Justice Manzoor Gilani, the former chief justice of PaK while referring to article 257 of Pakistani constitution said, “The constitution of Pakistan is open to all, it accommodates people of all school of thoughts”. He however said that Pakistan unlike India has not made any claim on Kashmir. He was of the view that Pakistan should declare the entire Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory but until the dispute was settled in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN the government of Pakistan should grant AJK a kind of constitutional and legal status whereby it could play its role effectively.
Under present circumstances he said, “It is neither Azad, nor Kashmir, and nor Pakistan”.
“There is nothing like a base-camp in the region, AJK constitution tells us very clearly that it has no role to play, it is just a territory with no constitutional status, the prime minister of the region even have no authority as far as the issue of Kashmir is concerned”, he said.
Speaking on the occasion senator Raja Zaffar-ul-Haq said that Pakistan was committed to the cause of Kashmir. He said international community was gradually acknowledging Kashmiris’ peaceful struggle for right to self-determination. Referring to the OIC conference held in Istanbul recently he said that the Muslim countries have reiterated their unflinching support to Kashmir cause and denounced human rights violations in Kashmir. He said that this historic resolution was adopted after an effective lobbying by Pakistan foreign office. He said that the government particularly Prime Minister’s advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz deserve appreciation on this feat. He said that on the issue of Kashmir there were no two opinions, the civilian government, political and religious parties were on one page.
Sheikh Tajamulul Islam, who was presiding the conference, lauded the sacrifices and role of Masarat Alam Bhat. He said that the Muslim League Jammu and Kashmir has gifted the nation with a brave leader. “We salute his bravery, his commitment and perseverance”, he concluded.
No comments:
Post a Comment