ISLAMABAD: The leaders of the All Parties Kashmir Conference called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Saturday to create a commission of investigation in light of the OHCHR report’s recommendations on human rights violations in India’s illegally occupied Kashmir (IIOJK).
The conference also applauded Guterres’ recent strong approach on the Kashmir dispute, which he took on the basis of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions.
Speakers at a conference held at Kashmir House in Islamabad highlighted the current situation in occupied Kashmir and declared the commencement of an aggressive political and diplomatic campaign to raise awareness of atrocities in the occupied valley.
Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, speaking at a news conference after the meeting, claimed that it was resolved during the meeting that enormous demonstrations will be held in Pakistan’s main cities including Muzaffarabad.
He noted that the sacrifices made by the people of occupied Kashmir were now paying off, as the international community began to notice their predicament.
Meanwhile, the All Parties Conference, in an unified statement, sharply criticised the August 5 actions, particularly Indian efforts to alter the valley’s demographics and change the occupied territory’s Islamic and cultural identity. It reaffirmed the Kashmiri people’s fundamental position that the state of Jammu and Kashmir’s destiny will be decided by a free and fair referendum in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
It praised the late veteran Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Gilani’s sacrifices for the Kashmir cause. He stated that the Kashmir problem would not be pushed to the side.
President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry presided over and hosted the meeting, which was also attended by Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi and former premiers of the province.
In a joint statement, the Kashmiri leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Dr Abdul Hameed Fayyaz, Musarat Alam, Naeem Khan, and Ms Asiya Andarabi urged the UN Secretary General to assist in the release of all arrested political leaders, business leaders, and civil society representatives, including Shabir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Dr Abdul Hameed Fayyaz, Musarat Alam, Naeem Khan
The closure of the Kashmir Press Club and the detention of famous human rights advocates Khurram Pervez and Ahsan Onto were among the restrictions on freedom of expression in the valley, according to the declaration.
The meeting called on the media and international human rights organisations to assist in the release of the detained journalists and activists.
