Kashmir Conference calls for unity in the Leadership
'Pakistan Times' Kashmir Desk

LONDON (UK): A conference on Kashmir has pushed for unity among the Kashmiri leadership and the same time lambasted India for dragging its feet on the unresolved issue of Himalayan region.

Hosted by the World Kashmir Freedom Movement, the round table conference Sunday brought together Kashmiri leaders from USA, Europe and various parts of the United Kingdom to the venue in west London.

Former Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar, Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner to the UK Abdul Basit, Lord Nazir Ahmad, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain, Dr.Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director, Kashmiri American Council, Ghulam Nabi Mir,Ghulam Muhammad Safi,Prof.Nazir Ahmad Shawl, Maulana Muhammad Yaqoob Chisti,Nazir Qureshi and a number of other Kashmiri leaders also spoke on the occasion.

The speakers highlighted the importance of involving Kashmir leadership in the dialogue process between Pakistan and India and their participation was crucial to the success of the negotiations.

Riaz Khokhar who served as envoy to USA, China and India and was involved in the initiation of the peace process between Pakistan and India called on the Kashmir leaders to close their ranks and unite to articulate their cause in a unified manner.

He explained that due to difficult situation in the region as the result of the 9/11 events and the international community support for India and given Pakistan’s own domestic problems, Kashmir issue has been forced into the background.

Khokhar said the West was encouraging India to emerge as the regional power in Asia and as rival to China and was not keen to hear anything adverse against it.

However, he stressed upon the Kashmiri leadership to revitalise their cause and efforts to keep the issue alive.

Lamenting division in the ranks of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, he added this has benefited India which is now claiming that APHC is itself not interested on resolving Kashmir issue.

He dismissed India’s claim and said thousand of Kashmiris have laid down their lives for the cause but the international community was silent because of strong Indian propaganda and diplomatic dominance.

“Seeking the International community support for Kashmir is a big challenge for the Kashmiri leadership and it need to reinvigorate its efforts.”

Khokhar noted that although the composite dialogue began four years ago there has been little progress because of India’s intransigence.” The Indians are not sincere on this issue and their aim is to prolong the negotiations.”

He called on the Kashmir leadership to display unity, determination and conviction in their ranks in order to achieve their desired objective and said the Government of Pakistan and its people will never waver in their support for the Kashmiri brothers.

The British member of Parliament Lord Nazir Ahmad said the policy of appeasement and out of box formula has failed to pay the dividend and there was a need to kick start a new campaign to highlight the Kashmir cause.

He said the Kashmir Committee in the British Parliament has become indolent and passive and there was a need to shake the members out of their stupor and make them realise the gravity of the current situation in the Occupied territory.

“We need to have a genuine brain storming session to revive the Kashmir issue in political, democratic and peaceful manner.”

Deputy High Commissioner Abdul Basit said Pakistan has made it clear to India that Kashmir remains the core issue between the two countries and there could be no normalisation of relations without the settlement of the issue first.

“Pakistan at every stage has told India that peace process cannot be sustained between the two countries unless Kashmir cause is moved forward .”

Basit said Pakistan has made it known amply that any settlement on Kashmir must reflect the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

He said although the basic objective remains the same, the new coalition government in Pakistan might devise new strategy to deal with the issue though it may take some time to communicate its policies.

He spoke about the role of Pakistan High Commission in supporting and extending complete co-operation to the Kashmiri Diaspora on issues such as Kashmir Earthquake and the Emma Nicholson report.

Ghulam Muhammad Safi, Prof.Shawl, Ghulam Nabi Fai, Mahmud Riaz, Maulana Chisti,Nazir Qureshi and other Kashmiri leaders in their speeches said no durable solution of the Kashmir dispute can be possible without equal inclusion and participation of the legitimate leadership of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

They said the Kashmir dispute is primarily the issue of self-determination which is a basic principle of the UN Charter. Inability to resolve this issue, they pointed out, is directly affecting the peace and stability of the region.

The conference also adapted a resolution calling for full moral, diplomatic and political support in favour of the right to self determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The resolution urged the Indian Government to stop all human rights violations, remove its forces from occupied Kashmir’s cities and towns and unconditionally release all political prisoners. India must repeal all black laws aimed at preventing Kashmiris from airing their grievances through peaceful means of assembly and protest.

The resolution called on Amnesty International and all Human Rights organisations and the foreign governments to launch and immediate and transparent investigation into the existence of the recently unearthed mass graves in Baramulla.

Later Dr.Ayub Thakur Memorial Awards were presented to Riaz Khokhar, Lord Nazir Ahmad and Syed Munawar Hassan Mashhadi.●