MIRPUR (AJK)-AJK President Sardar Masood Khan said on Friday that intimidation of any kind by the Indian occupation forces will not be able to subdue the indigenous struggle of the Kashmiri people for their just right to self-determination.
The president made these remarks while speaking as chief guest at a seminar titled "Kashmir Conflict: Response of Global Players," hosted by the state-run Women University of AJK in top mountainous picturesque Bagh Town.
He continued that the innocent people of Indian Occupied Kashmir had been facing unspeakable atrocities at the hands of the Indian occupation forces that have imprisoned the Kashmiris in their own homeland. He said that lawless laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act had provided the Indian army and law agencies absolute immunity from any sort of prosecution. They, he said, were freely killing, illegally incarcerating, torturing and maiming the Kashmiri brothers and sisters. He added that Indian forces openly dishonour womenfolk and are consciously using sexual violence as an instrument of war.
Strongly condemning the killings of over 20 Kashmiris in Shopian and the brutal gang-rape and murder of 8-year-old Asifa Bano, he said that for 70 years, the people of Kashmir have been subjected to flagrant human right violations. "The word violation is only a euphemism. Indian atrocities constitute war crimes, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and genocide," he said.
He said that India under a myopic approach towards Kashmir had adopted a policy of aggression, violence and hostility in its attempt to suppress the freedom movement in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Their aggression, economic and political blandishments have failed to win any support from the Kashmiris, he said.
"The Kashmiri people are not begging for their freedom. It is their right that they are struggling for and they will certainly achieve it. The Kashmiris are simply demanding to exercise their right to self-determination under the United Nations Security Council resolutions," said the president.
He said that India demonising the Kashmiris as terrorists even though Kashmiris live within the most heavily guarded and electronically surveilled borders; having no access to arms of any kind. "The Kashmiris are the most unarmed people on earth and have even been denied their right to self-defence," he said.
He noted said that the international powers must forgo its economic, strategic and political interests with India and take India to task for the atrocities being perpetrated in IOK. He said that the UN Security Council must debate on the matter and carry out an impartial investigation into the human right violations in IOK and ensure implementation of its resolution for a free and fair plebiscite.
He termed the 'bilateral talk' a hoax, and said that India has been using the excuse of talks to maintain the status quo and prolonging its occupation in IOK. "We must reject the bilateral talks and raise the issue at the appropriate platforms - UNSC and other international forums - for an early resolution of the long-standing issue," he said.
The president urged to forge unity among our ranks, approach the United Nations and other influential forums, exploit the traditional and modern means of communication for the purpose.
He said by leveraging the strengths of the Diaspora community we must reach out to the global civil society in raising awareness about this issue. He commended the Vice Chancellor of Women University, Bagh and the Department of International Relations for organizing such an important seminar. He complimented the researchers on presenting their papers, terming them as thoroughly researched using contemporary references and idioms.
He added that Women University of AJK would be a catalyst for women's empowerment in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir where students were being taught advanced life sciences. "Let your academic and professional competence be the driving force for your confidence. You must take your destiny into your own hands and shape it," he asked the students.