Mirpur Declaration Calls for Withdrawal of Indian Troops from Kashmir 
By Altaf Hamid Rao ‘Pakistan Times’ Kashmir Bureau Chief

MIRPUR (AJK): Unveiling the perspective of ‘The Mirpur Declaration’, issued towards the end of the day-long Intra Jammu Kashmir Conference held here, the President of Jammu Kashmir Liberation League, Chief Justice (Retd) Abdul Majeed Mallick said here Wednesday that the moot called for a just, democratic and sustainable solution of the Kashmir problem through ensuring the participation of the true representatives of Jammu Kashmir people from either side of the Line of Control without further loss of time.

“The people of entire Jammu & Kashmir should be provided their rightful place in the dialogue process between India and Pakistan relating to the Kashmir issue”, the conference emphatically demanded through the declaration.

Talking to a group of Kashmiri journalists here, Majeed Mallick, author and presenter of ‘The Mirpur Declaration’ told that the conference held under the auspices of Raja Akbar Khan Memorial Society Mirpur was attended by eminent leaders representing various Kashmiri political parties, intellectuals, jurists, academicians and journalists across the line of control. He said that the conference analytically discussed in detail the Mirpur declaration and adopted.

Majeed Mallick said that the moot also discussed in length the current situation in and about Jammu Kashmir and various proposals made by different quarters to solve the Kashmir Issue and evolved the consensus categorically declaring that the issue concerning Jammu Kashmir is not a territorial dispute – rather it relates to determination of the future status of the State.

The JKLL Chief said that the conference also declared that the State of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed on August 15, l947 is an indivisible political entity hence should be reunited and to start with, both India and Pakistan should facilitate intra Jammu Kashmir dialogue to enable the people to evolve a consensus on solution of the problem to the satisfaction of the aspiration of the people of the State.

Chief Justice (Retd) Majeed Mallick said that the conference also demanded various more CBMs coupled with a conducive climate for the pending reunification of the Jammu & Kashmir State and for any fruitful dialogue to resolve the decades old Kashmir problem in line with the wishes of Jammu Kashmir people.

]He said that the CBM’s suggested by the congregation include free movement of the people and trade across the cease fire line and for that purpose all the intra Kashmir routes be reopened, unrestricted, removal of Indian troops from civilian areas as the first step towards total demilitarization, repealing all draconian and undemocratic laws in Jammu Kashmir, stopping all human rights violations, setting up of an independent institution to probe into all human rights cases followed by due punishment to the guilty, immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners from the Indian and occupied Jammu Kashmir’s jails and withdrawal of and all cases against those involved in the on going freedom struggle.

“Other CBMs proposed by the conference include de-mining and removal of fencing at the cease fire line, encouraging cross CFL economic activity, enabling cultural and educational exchanges across CFL and experts from the international community to visit both sides to ascertain violations of human rights, integration of the Northern areas including Gilgit and Baltistan (NA) with Azad Jammu Kashmir; or alternatively be given status in all tiers, inclusive basic rights equivalent to (Interim Constitution Act 1974) Azad Jammu Kashmir and enable media cooperation and ensure freedom of press in the state”, Majeed Mallick added.

Majeed Mallick said; “the conference also declared that no solution not based on the unfettered and freely expressed will of the people of the State and against the unity, integrity, composite character and democratic federal statecraft will be acceptable”.●