APC condemns Indian bid to change held Kashmir’s demography

ISLAMABAD: An All Parties Conference (APC) on Kashmir on Monday denounced illegal attempts of the Indian government to change demography of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) by changing status of the territory and settling non-Kashmiris belonging to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the valley.

The APC, hosted by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), expressed concerns over change in disputed status of IIOJK by the Indian government through changing domicile-related laws to manipulate ratio of population in the territory.

“We condemn these Indian steps of changing demography of IIOJK as glaring violation of the United Nations resolutions, international laws and recognised human rights,” the declaration passed by the APC said.

The event was held in connection with Kashmir Solidarity Day falling on February 05, which was addressed by JI central ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed, former president Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan, former AJK prime minister Sardar Attique Khan, Nayyar Hussain Bokhari of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Abdullah Gul, JI AJK ameer Dr Mushtaq Khan, ex AJK ameer Abdur Rashid Turabi, JI naib ameers Mian Muhammad Aslam and Liaquat Baloch, JI director for foreign affairs Asif Luqman Qazi and Kashmiri leader Ghulam Safi and others.

The APC also condemned continuous detention of Kashmiri leaders in IIOJK, search operations, restrictions on civil society, media workers and others and confiscation of their properties in the occupied territory, terming them state terrorism.

The APC pledged that the Pakistani people and the state of Pakistan would never deviate from supporting the right to self-determination of Kashmiri people and would also not hesitate from giving any sacrifice for the cause.

On the occasion, “Friends of Kashmir” forum was constituted under the leadership of Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed. The forum will comprise Kashmiri and Pakistani politicians, Hurriyat leaders, members of civil society, media and others.

The Friends of Kashmir will also lobby on Kashmir at the international level. In its declaration, the APC called upon the Pakistan government to play its part for the release of detained Kashmiri leaders, including Yasin Malik, Abdul Hameed Fayyaz, Asiya Andrabi, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Musarrat Alam and Dr Qasim.

Earlier, addressing the APC, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman noted that mere assuring moral and political support to Kashmiris would not serve the purpose, saying Kashmir happens to be an incomplete agenda of Pakistan and the same would have to be completed.

“Pakistan as a party in Kashmir dispute should launch an aggressive diplomatic drive on Kashmir at the international level,” the JI leader said. He said the United Nations charter gives Kashmiris their right to struggle to get freedom from illegal Indian occupation.

He also called upon the Pakistan government to convene an APC on Kashmir. The JI top leader also paid tributes to the people of Bangladesh, saying: “Revolution brought about by students is before all but India is not happy rather have fears about the change of situation in the country”.