Islamabad: (Parliament Times) Expressing serious concern over Indian systematic designs to change demography of Jammu and Kashmir, speakers at a seminar hosted by All Parties Hurriyat Conference Pak Chapter here on Monday called on the United Nations to take effective notice of the India’s nefarious designs aimed at converting Muslim majority state into minority.
The seminar titled “Indian Designs to Change Demography of Kashmir – Violation of UN Resolutions and International Law” was organised by All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Collaboration with Kashmir Media Service (KMS) and Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR). The well attended seminar was attended and addressed by politicians, academicians, senior journalists, Hurriyat representatives, former diplomats as well as the members of legal fraternity including Nafees Zakria the foreign office spokesperson, Ambassador Abdul Basit, JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq, renowned lawyer Ahmer Bilal Sofi, former President of AJK Haji Muhammad Yaqoob, Sheikh Tajammulul Islam the executive Director Kashmir Media Service, Syed Faiz Hussain Naqashbandi, Ghulam Muhammad Safi, PPP president Ch. Latif Akbar, Raja Najabat Hussain, Moulana Syed Yousuf, JI leader Noor-ul-Bari, Dr. Muhammad Khan, Dr. Habib vice chancellor Mirpur University and others whereas president Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Ahmed Khan was special guest on the occasion.
Deliberating on different dimensions of Kashmir dispute with special reference to Indian plans to abrogate Article 370 and Article 35A the speakers said, “The basic objective behind this move is to defeat the essence of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and purpose of relevant UN resolutions on Jammu Kashmirâ€.
Referring to Indian subversive machinations to facilitate demographic changes in the UN disputed territory of Kashmir they said that India was hectically engaged to convert an over overwhelming Muslim majority population into a minority by settling Indian citizens in Kashmir. Establishment of Pandit colonies, settling West Pakistan refugees and issuance of permanent residence certificates to non-state subjects they said were part of the India’s grand design. Regarding the petitions filed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) backed think-tank against Article 35A in Indian Supreme Court they said that abrogation of these laws was a deep rooted conspiracy to pave a way for settling Indian citizen in the territory. Indian judiciary they said has been working as a subservient institution of Indian government with regard to Jammu and Kashmir.
The speakers while expressing their concern over the widespread killings and crackdown against the Hurriyat leader said that Indian forces have been using bullets and pellet guns to willfully blind the Kashmiris.
Referring to international covenants they said that the UN has a responsibility to stop human rights violations and the systematic genocide Kashmiris “by Indian occupation forces†in the region.
Lambasting India’s blatant violation of UNSC Resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, the UN Charter and international humanitarian laws they said that India has always backtracked from its commitments made at the highest level to allow the people of Kashmir to decide their future through a plebiscite.
Speaking on the occasion the president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Ahmed Khan said, “For 70 years the India’s government has used economic incentives, torture and killings to bring down the freedom movement of the people of Kashmirâ€. He said that, “The Indian government has always backtracked from its commitment on Kashmir and has never sincerely taken up the Kashmir issue during bilateral talks”
Emphasizing the need to create awareness of the issue at a global level, Sardar Masood Khan said, “It is time we engage the international civil society and also the Indian civil society in order to positively highlight the Kashmir issue”. “We should develop a comprehensive policy and a collective narrative on the Kashmir issue. Daily communiqué with international organizations is necessary to help draw attention to the Kashmir issue”, he added.
“We need to engage in effective communication in order to highlight the issue and counter the misperceptions created by the Indian government”, he said adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have written to the UN and other international organizations of the human rights violations and the demographic change taking place in the disputed territory under the patronage of the Indian government. Transfer of land and creating a change in the local demography is against the UN Resolutions, Geneva Convention and the rulings of the International Criminal Court.
Speaking on the occasion International law expert Ahmer Bilal Sofi said that Kashmir issue needs to be presented as a legal case to the international community and organizations. Sofi suggest that a full time legal team of lawyers of international repute should be engaged to prepare a comprehensive case on the issue. He said that a systematic initiation of law-fare was required to counter the Indian strategy.
The foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakria said that Pakistan has been highlighting the political as well as the other aspects of Kashmir dispute at international level. Indian plan to change demography of Kashmir he said was a violation of UNSC resolutions and other international laws. He said that India was using systematic genocide of Kashmiris as a tool to alter demography of the region. He said that the K-dispute should be resolved as per the UN resolutions.
Speakers further proposed that a think tank consisting of academicians and ex diplomats may also be established in order to present workable solutions on the issue. The participants of the seminar adopted a number of resolutions calling for an early and peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute. The participants through a resolution condemned Indian fresh strategy to curtail Hurriyet leaders’ movement and defame them by involving them in fake cases, causing harassment by conducting raids on their houses through its organisations like NIA and Enforcement Directorate and lodging them in notorious jails like Tihar jail of New Delhi as collective punishment.
Call on the government of India to allow UN / Independent investigations into the human rights situation, to establish responsibility and determine appropriate punishment for the perpetrators of such crimes that are against international humanitarian law and international human rights laws;
The conference called on the United Nations to assume its responsibility of organizing the plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir under its supervision;
They demanded the Government of Pakistan and all national parties of the country to adopt a proactive approach to project in the world the Indian state terrorism perpetrated in “IOKâ€, take all steps to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir Pakistan’s full and unconditional support to their legitimate freedom struggle and make further steps towards utilising all relevant UN mechanisms to bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against humanity committed by Indian authorities in “IOKâ€.
The seminar appealed all international organizations including the OIC, EU to play a meaningful and effective role in the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.