United Nations, New York: Hundreds of Kashmiri Americans held a huge rally in front of the United Nations during the speech of the Indian Delegate to its General Assembly. Raising slogans of: “India: Honor UN Pledges†“Freedom for all, Freedom for Kashmir†Indian Forces: Out of Kashmir†“Time to Resolve Kashmir Dispute Now†“Kashmir: The Nuclear Flashpoint†“No Justice, No Peaceâ€, they demanded United Nations — assured right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir.
Syed Ali Geelani, Chairman, All Parties Hurriyet Conference, in his message said that the United Nations despite being aware about the disappointing, dismal and shameful track record of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir has failed to impress upon India to reign in its trigger-happy soldiers and stop killings in the state. Custodial killing, enforced disappearances and rape as a weapon of war are the hallmarks of Indian occupational forces in Kashmir. Notwithstanding India not allowing the fact-finding mission of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights to have access to the situation in Kashmir, India cannot be and should not be allowed to imperil global peace. In the given situation in the region, it is your bounden duty to take de-novo cognizance of Kashmir immediately as tensions center on the India-Pakistan border, otherwise the august body shall be failing in its obligations under the Charter.
Mohammad Yasin Malik, Chairman, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front in his message said “Today, the people of Jammu Kashmir are being killed, maimed, tortured, jailed and destroyed for asking the fulfillment of the promises made by world powers including India at the United Nations. They are being haunted, wounded, humiliated and dubbed for recalling India and the international community to fulfill their pledges made to the people of Jammu Kashmir. The human rights of Kashmiris are being trampled; their democratic rights are being disregarded. They are even being denied a chance to mourn on their dead ones. Irony is that all this is being done in the name of democracy. Unfortunately, no one seems to worry for them because the human and democratic rights of this tiny nation are too little, too small as compared to mighty trade deals, economic benefits and big buyer market of India. Political strategies, security considerations, strategically important bilateral and multilateral partnerships have taken over humanity, democratic aspirations, human rights and other moral considerations. International community does care for human rights, right to freedom and right to life with peace and liberty all over the globe but Jammu Kashmir seems not fitting in their global perspective at all. Despite all this seemingly discriminatory trend, United Nations remains an abode for the people of Kashmir for the fulfillment of their right to self-determination. The people of Jammu Kashmir appeal to the world powers, in particular the United States to revive her policies based wholly and solely on the strategic partnerships, security and economic considerations.â€
Barrister Sultan Mehmood Choudhary, former Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir said that global experts of the international relations have correctly characterized the unflagging freedom struggle in Kashmir from foreign occupying powers as harrowing because of the nuclear capabilities of India and Pakistan. Barrister Sultan declared that, “since its nationhood secured on August 15, 1947, Kashmir has been despoiled, defiled, and devastated by foreign military troops and denied its fundamental right of self‑determination. The nuclear danger in South Asia will never recede until Kashmiris receive the justice and political liberty promised by the series of United Nations Security Council resolutions providing for a free and fair self‑ determination vote.”
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of World Kashmir Awareness Forum responded to the mantra of Ms. Sushma Suraj, the foreign minister of India when she said: “He (the prime minister of Pakistan) has forgotten that under the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration India and Pakistan resolved that they would settle all outstanding issues bilaterally.†Dr. Fai said, “Sushma Suraj ji seeks to propagate the impression that The UN resolutions have been superseded by the Simla Agreement. That implication is false and it can be readily seen from a comparison of the two texts (UN resolutions & Simla Agreement). But even if it were true, it would run counter to a standing principle of international relations which is set out in Article 103 of the Charter of the United Nations (accepted by every Member of the United Nations, including India). The Article says: “In the event of a conflict between the obligations of the Members of the United nations under the present Charter and their obligations under any other international agreement, their obligations under the present Charter shall prevail”
“Despite this circumstance, Dr. Fai added, the Simla Agreement nowhere precludes a settlement of the Kashmir dispute along the lines laid down by the United Nations with the consent of both India and Pakistan. Nor does it require that the United Nations be by-passed in the effort towards a settlement. On the contrary, it expressly says that the relations between the two countries shall be governed by the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. One of the basic principles of the Charter (Article 33) is to seek a solution of any dispute by negotiation, enquiry, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements or other peaceful means. The Agreement thus reinforces the obligations of both parties to achieve a settlement in accordance with the resolutions endorsed by the Security Council and, if their bilateral efforts fail, to turn to the United Nations for assistance. Nothing would be more contrary to the Charter — and, therefore, to the Simla Agreement itself — than to bar recourse to the United Nations.â€
Mr. Ishtiyaq Hameed, Representative, All Parties Hurriyet Conference said “All our basic rights and civil liberties have been snatched by Indian forces. There is no freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. Peaceful protests are responded to by brute force. Bullets and pellets are indiscriminately used against the peaceful protestors. Humiliation, harassment, torture at the hands of the Indian forces, is an everyday feature of life of a Kashmiri. The Indian forces are present in every nook and corner, thus turning Jammu & Kashmir into a virtual prison. Kashmir once called a paradise on Earth has become a place of misery, sorrow, death and destruction.â€
Dr. A. R Meer, Saleem Qadri (Srinagar), Sardar Tahir Iqbal, leader Muslim League (N) AJK, Sardar Taj Khan, Sardar Imtiaz Khan Garalavi, Saleem Butt, former minister of Azad Kashmir cabinet, Dr. Asif Luqman, Sardar Imtiaz Kahn (NJ), Raja Liaqat Kiyani, Ms. Noreen Talaat from Virginia, Ms. Amina Taj Khan, Yasin Chohan, Sardar Zulfiqar Roshan Khan, Sardar Zubair Khan, Sahibzada Imtiaz Zafar, Choudhary Zahoor Akhtar, Sardar Sawar Khan, former advisor to the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and others spoke on the occasion.