“AJK PM addresses inaugural session, seeks early settlement of Kashmir dispute, terms Modi’s extremist policies as a serious threat to regional peace, says EU as a harbinger of world human rights and peoples’ fundamental freedoms should stand with the oppressed and persecuted people of Kashmir fighting for their just cause of right to self-determination”
S. A Haidri
Brussels: Kashmir European Union week kicked off here on Wednesday in European Parliament, with a photo exhibition and international conference on Kashmir to seek world attention towards the unending miseries of Kashmiri people who have been worst victims of Indian state terrorism.
The event, which was attended by members of the European Parliament, representatives of Civil Society, media-men and veteran rights activists from across the globe, was inaugurated by AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider Khan and hosted by European Member of Parliament Sajjad Karim.
Highlighting different dimensions of the long drawn dispute speakers while addressing conference appealed the international community, especially the United Nations and the European Union to come forward in a big way to help resolve Kashmir dispute amicably besides pressurizing India to stop bloodbath of innocent Kashmiris.
Addressing the inaugural session of, AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider Khan said that the European Union being the harbinger of world human rights should stand by the oppressed people of Kashmir instead of getting swayed by India’s free trade agreements.
He said that the Indian Prime Minister’s extremist policies have been a serious threat to peace in South Asia. “Narendra Modi is involved in the genocide of Muslims in Gujrat (India) and he is also the mastermind of ethnic riots against Muslims”, he said adding that India has dual face, one for the globe and other one for the occupied Kashmir.
Terming right to self-determination as an inalienable right of the people of Kashmir PM AJK reiterated that people of Kashmir have every right to wage a struggle to get their motherland free from India’s illegal and forcible occupation. Kashmiris he said don’t accept this so-called line of control that has divided Kashmiris.
Referring to cross LoC shelling by Indian troops, the PM AJK said, “My constituency is situated on the control line. Indian Army is targeting children, elders, women and animals on line of control besides her brutalities in occupied Kashmir.”
He said, “Kashmiri nation is not fearing or abandoning their struggle; India’s motives cannot weaken our commitment, India has forcefully occupied many states, including Kashmir”. On the occasion, Prime Minister Azad Kashmir, appreciated the efforts made by the chairman of the Kashmir Council Europe Ali Raza Syed to highlight Kashmir issue in the European Union.
Senior Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Tariq Farooq said that bilateral talks between India and Pakistan have failed to resolve Kashmir issue. He said that the United Nations should intervene and use its authority to get its own resolutions on Kashmir implemented.
Ch. Tariq Farooq also praised Ali Raza Syed and his team, member of the European Parliament, Sajjad Karim. He said that it was quite difficult to talk about Kashmir in the European Parliament but the Chairman of the Kashmir Council Ali Raza Syed and his colleagues made this possible.
He further said that the EU should make free trade agreement with India conditional to protection of human rights in Kashmir.
Chairman of the Council Syed Ali Raza gave proposals for prolonged relations and cooperation between the Diaspora and Kashmiris. He said that Kashmiri living in Europe can play an important role in strengthening these relations.
Member EU Parliament Wajid Khan said that the EU should prefer human rights rather than trade and financial interests. They demanded the global community to play its much needed role in granting right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir in line with the UN resolutions.
Daniel Caron, former member of the Brussels Parliament, suggested that Kashmiri delegations visiting European countries should continue to highlight Kashmir issue and stress the need for the implementation of UN resolutions.
Overseas Member of Legislative Assembly AJK Raja Javed Iqbal said that the international community should discharge its moral and legal obligations vis-à-vis Kashmir to seek a permanent solution to the festering dispute.