Pakistan calls upon world to ‘wake up’

ISLAMABAD: Criticising the nefarious means being used by India to malign the indigenous freedom movement of the people of Indian-held Kashmir, President Mamnoon Hussain Monday urged the international community to use its influence for the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people to ensure a sustainable and lasting peace in the region. “According to latest reports, notorious militant organisations operating in different parts of world are being mobilized in IHK by India to sabotage the indigenous movement of Kashmir. This is a very treacherous scheme which will have devastating repercussions. This Indian effort will also go in vain like those of the past. Insha Allah,” the president said while addressing a seminar organised in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. “We believe that the situation in IHK has already endangered the peace of South Asia,” the president said. He said freedom struggle of the brave and valiant people of Kashmir was a unique movement in the world. “They had been facing persecution for the last 70 years. Despite this severe repression, they have been heroically facing the subjugation,” he added. The president said it was the only freedom movement of the world against which all forms of oppression were used. Even, pellet guns were deliberately fired into the eyes of the youth which destroyed their lives by damaging their eyesight, he added. “We pay tribute to the young children who lost their eyesight … our sisters who sacrificed their husbands … parents who sacrificed their beloved children for the sake of freedom,” the president said and reiterated that the people and the government of Pakistan would continue to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of held Kashmir until the achievement of their objective. He recalled that during the independence movement of Sub-Continent, the people of Kashmir associated their future with the Muslims of the region in their struggle for Pakistan and they also participated in the struggle for Pakistan with full enthusiasm. “Despite this reality, at the time of the partition of India, a malicious conspiracy was hatched to deprive the people of IHK of their birth right to freedom. The people of IHK are protesting against this till today and striving for the completion of the unfinished agenda of the partition. I think that global conscience should support the people of IHK by keeping aside all other considerations,” he added. Addressing a joint session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Kashmir Council on the Kashmir Solidarity Day in Muzaffarabad, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the issue of Kashmir was engraved permanently in the hearts of Pakistanis and reiterated full support of the government and people of Pakistan to the just and legitimate right of the Kashmiri people for the peaceful resolution of the issue in line with their aspirations. He said all the illegitimate use of force and coercive measures by the occupation forces in IHK had miserably failed to suppress indigenous freedom struggle. The prime minister said there might be differences among the political leaders but on the Kashmir issue, all the leadership was united and there were no two opinions. Stressing upon unity for highlighting the Kashmir issue at all the international fora, the prime minister said the issue would remain alive till its peaceful resolution as per the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the UN resolutions. He also underscored the need to involve the Pakistani and Kashmir diaspora to further highlight the issue and the gross human rights violations committed by the Indian occupation forces. The prime minister, referring to the AJK assembly and council, said the house had been a seat of unanimity among different Kashmiri leaders who lent unequivocal support to the people in the Held Kashmir. He called upon the ruling and opposition benches to set aside their political differences and work with more vigour for the Kashmir cause. He said the Kashmir Solidarity Day reflected a spirit of unity among all the rank and file of the nation and in the legitimate struggle, Kashmiris were not alone as the whole Pakistani nation was standing with them. “The hearts of Pakistanis and Kashmiris beat together,” he added. Published in Daily Times, February 6th 2018.