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.
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