AJK PM urges role of Kashmiris abroad in issue resolution

ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan on Tuesday said role of overseas Kashmiris was very important in highlighting Kashmir issue across the world and project the ongoing Indian aggression on innocent people of Kashmir.

Expressing his views here at a seminar jointly organised by ‘Jammu Kashmir Struggle for Right to Self-Determination International’ and ‘Jammu Kashmir Liberation Cell’ here, Haider said he had written a letter to the President of European Union regarding his viewpoint on Kashmir issue.

While stressing the need for renewed efforts for solution of Kashmir issue, he contended that if Sudan and East Timor could be given the right to self-determination, then why Kashmiris had been deprived of it? He said, “our stance is pretty clear that India should pull out its massive military from Indian Occupied Kashmir so that UN resolutions on right to self-determination on Kashmir could be implemented”.

Haider said people of AJK were extremely concerned, as India was subjecting APHC leader Yasin Malik to severe torture in the infamous Tahar Jail. He appealed to the international community to exert pressure over India to release Yasin Malik in view of his deteriorating health. He expressed hope that “Kashmir Today”, the magazine of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell and International Research Journal, would be sent abroad to international community for perusal.

He urged the overseas Kashmiris to double their efforts in highlighting Kashmir issue and exposing Indian brutalities in IHK. He said, “we should also make efforts to draw the attention of international media for coverage of Kashmir issue. We would have to take this issue as a family event. When we hold protest demonstrations in Europe our children should also be with us. We ought to end the communication gap in this connection”.

Haider said every month dozens of flagrant violations of human rights take place in IHK that were flagrant violations. He said youth should highlight Kashmir issue through social media. They should also email on the websites of Europe letting the people of Europe know the ground realities of Kashmir. He said his government set up investment board and appointed overseas commissioner. He said his government’s priorities include Kashmir liberation struggle, good governance and growth and development of the State.

Meanwhile, addressing a dinner hosted by him in honour of chief editors of Rawalpindi, Islamabad he said PML-N government doubled development budget, after 26 years federal receipts were augmented to 40 percent, which was expected to bring a revenue of more than 10 billion in income to AJK, return of power to AJK Legislative Assembly from Kashmir Council after 13th amendment, appointments of teachers through NTS, restructuring of PSC were some of the salient steps his government took in the past two and half years.