New York,
Pakistan Mission to United Nations (New York) organized a webinar on the occasion of 73 years of adopting resolution Right to Self-Determination to Kashmiris, granted by the UN Security Council resolutions on dated 5 January 1949.
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, moderated the webinar. Secretary General Kashmir Awareness Forum, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, a renowned historian Ms. Victoria Schofield, Director of the Justice Foundation, Mr. Muzzamil Ayuub Thakur, Kashmir Institute of International Affairs, Professor Halil Toker, Mr. Lars Rise, Norwegian Politician and Professor Syed Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi among others panellists
Ambassador Akram highlights that last seven decades, India has denied the UN Security Council resolutions, including UNCIP resolution of 05 January 1949. India has also obstructed all attempts at holding a UN supervised plebiscite in violation of UNSC resolutions 47 (April 1948), 80 (March 1950), 91 (March 1951), 98 (December 1952), 122 (January 1957), 123 (February 1957), 126 (December 1957).
According to UN resolutions Kashmiris have right to self-determination. The final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be accordance with the will of the people expressed through a free and fair poll conducted under United Nations, Ambassador regretted.
Ambassador Akram recalls the statement of PM. Imran Khan to UN General Assembly to the panellists that resumption of dialogue with India based on three conditions, a) reverse the unilateral and illegal instituted in IIOJK since 5 August 2019; b) stop oppression and human rights violations against the people of Jammu and Kashmir; and c) halt and reverse the demographic changes in the occupied territory.
While, briefing the participants, Ambassador Akram also said that India commits atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. During the last two years, India imprisoned the entire Kashmiri political leadership; illegally detained 13,000 Kashmiri youth; tortured many of them; extra-judicially killed hundreds of young Kashmiri boys; used rape as a weapon of war; put down peaceful protests violently, blinding with pellet guns; collective punishments by demolishing and burning entire neighborhoods and villages; and curtailed the freedom of religion and expression.
Kashmiri and the Pakistani diaspora in the United States and Europe could play a major part in generating such a support. Pakistan’ strategy on Jammu and Kashmir was threefold a) raising the issue at all international forums; b) reviving the legitimacy of the Kashmir cause and c) to deter and prevent Indian aggression against Pakistan, Ambassador Akram added.
Moreover Ambassador Akram added that India portray Kashmiri struggle as being externally sponsored and was designed to enable the Modi government to de-legitimize Kashmir cause.
Therefore, one of the key objectives of Pakistan’s foreign policy was to secure support within the capitals of the major countries which were partnered with India both strategically and economically to denounce the massive violations of human rights were taking place in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Webinar panellist also spoke and said that illegal and unilateral Indian action of 5th August 2019, turned IIOJK into world’s biggest open-air prison. A huge security clampdown in the occupied territory, communications blackout, and an excruciating curfew and deployment of additional troops.
Webinar panellist said that extremist “Hindutva’ inspired RSS-BJP Indian government for denying the people of IIOJK their basic human rights through its long and cruel occupation which had brought unimaginable suffering to the Kashmiri people.
Mr. Raees warsi presented his poetry and Ms. Muzdalfah presented Kashmiri youth’s perspective in her remarks.
While concluding the webinar, Ambassador Munir Akram called on the international community to act in support of the fundamental freedoms and basic human rights of Kashmiris. He reiterated that Pakistan would continue to extend all possible support to the Kashmiris till the realization of their unalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
This post was originally published on VOSA.
