ISLAMABAD - Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Afridi on Monday said the opposition’s announcement to launch anti-government campaign was ill-timed as Prime Minister Imran Khan was about to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Kashmir this week.
Talking to newsmen here, he urged the opposition leaders to stand united behind Prime Minister as he was going to address the upcoming UNGA session.
Shehryar Afridi criticised the timing of the opposition’s All Parties Conference and announcement to launch anti-government campaign. “This will send negative message to the world and the Kashmiris fighting the Indian occupational forces. Last year when Prime Minister Imran Khan made a historic speech at the UNGA, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other opposition parties arranged a long march and distracted world attention from Kashmir,” said Shehryar Afridi.
He argued that now again when Imran Khan was going to address the UNGA, the opposition was again trying to send a wrong message to the world.
He said the entire nation should stand with Imran Khan to send a message of unity on Kashmir and to strengthen people in occupied Kashmir who were burying their dead wrapped in Pakistani flags.
Earlier, addressing a seminar, Shehryar Afridi said the movement of Kashimiri people for self-determination had entered its logical point and soon the world would recognize the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people.
The seminar “Piecing peace together for a shared future for humanity“ was organized by the Kashmir Committee in collaboration with Islamabad Institute for Conflict Resolution to mark the International Peace Day.
Afridi said the world had realized violation of basic human rights in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and nothing could suppress the freedom movement of the Kashmiri people, he added.
He said Pakistan was endeavouring to maintain peace in South Asia and it had fought biggest war on land against terrorism and defeated enemies of humanity.
“Pakistan also played a key role in Afghan peace process, took exemplary measures to maintain peace with India but hegemonic Indian designs are major hurdle,” said Afridi.
“History tells us justice and equality is prerequisite for world peace. India captured states including Assam, Junagadh and Haiderabad through misuse of power. Now India wants to consolidate occupation on Kashmir. Pakistan won’t allow it. The United Nations must ensure Kashmiris get plebiscite,” he remarked.
Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser said, “Islam stresses upon propagation of peace in the world as the central message of Islam has always been the peace for all.” He said the last Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) had been the symbol of peace and tranquillity.
He urged the international and regional organizations to take notice of the stark violations of human rights in IIOJK.
Addressing the seminar, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan urged the so-called international custodians of peace to break their silence over the Indian atrocities and genocide in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
He said Narendra Modi’s India was a serious threat to peace in the region. The AJK President pointed out that 1.7 million Hindus had been given right to settle in Kashmir after revocation the Article 370 since August 5 last year. He said unarmed people of Kashmir would keep fighting for their right to self-determination and no power on the earth would subjugate them to gain their basic right of freedom.