MIRPUR (AJK) - Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan Thursday feared that the 2002 massacre that had taken place under the supervision of then Indian Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi might be repeated in the Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) as extremist organizations were given a free hand amid all the post-Pulwama hype.
The president made these remarks during a meeting with Abdul Rashid Turabi, Member AJK Legislative Assembly, who called on him here at the Jammu and Kashmir House. The two leaders discussed the recent situation along the Line of Control and the overall human rights situation in the IoK.
The AJK president, paying tribute to the armed forces, said the Pakistan Air Force had given India a befitting reply, which should not make any similar moves towards escalating tension.
Abdul Rashid Turabi said that the people of Azad Kashmir and the whole nation stood united with the armed forces. He proposed that an all-party conference of AJK political parties might be convened to assess the current situation and display unity with the nation in the face of unprovoked Indian aggression.
He also asserted that there was no military solution to the Kashmir issue and India must engage in diplomatic means for the resolution of the dispute. “All means must be utilized to expose India, its human rights violations in the IOK and advocate the peaceful right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people,” he said.
President Masood said the AJK was not only the defensive bastion of Pakistan but its valiant people were also serving the Pakistan armed forces in all capacities and actively protecting the frontiers of the sovereign state. Its people stood fast with the Pakistan armed forces in defending the homeland, he added.
He said both India and Pakistan possessed nuclear weapons and any miscalculation would result in havoc and devastation in the region and the world. Starting a war was easy but the unintended consequences were beyond anyone’s comprehension and could easily spin out of control, he added.
The president deplored the anti-Pakistan and anti-Kashmir rhetoric and frenzy whipped up all over India and the IoK. He said that such tactics have been adopted by India to hide the victimisation and targeted actions it had adopted against the Kashmiri people after the Pulwama incident.
Sardar Masood said no level of intimidation or coercion would be able to make the Kashmiris lose sight of their struggle for freedom and ascertaining their right to self-determination.
Both leaders also welcomed the recent debate on Kashmir at the UK Parliament. They thanked the Members of Parliament for raising the very critical issue at such an esteemed and august parliament.
The AJK president welcomed the proposal of Abdul Rashid Turabi for convening an All-Party Conference and continuing diplomatic efforts towards resolving the Kashmir issue.
HELD KASHMIR SHUTS AGAINST MASS ARRESTS
A complete shutdown is observed on the second consecutive day on Thursday against the raids by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the residences of Hurriyat leaders and activists, the ongoing mass arrest spree and possible tinkering with the Article 35-A of the Indian Constitution.
According to Kashmir Media Sevice, call for the strike has been given by the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.
All shops, other business establishments and government and private offices are closed, while public transport is off the roads all across the valley. Indian troops have been deployed in strength at most places in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Held Kashmir valley.
Mobile internet speed is also reduced in the territory.
Earlier, in a massive crackdown operation hundreds of freedom leaders and activists including JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and members were arrested across the Valley.