Pakistan to continue diplomatic support to Kashmiris: minister

LAHORE : Punjab Higher Education Minister Syed Raza Ali Gillani Saturday said freedom is the inalienable right of Kashmiris.

He was addressing a ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day. He said India would have to change its approach towards Kashmir and stop atrocities there.

The ceremony was organised by a private group of institutions in collaboration with the Higher Education Department (HED) Punjab. Students and teachers from different schools and colleges attended the ceremony. Syed Raza Ali said Kashmir was an integral part of Pakistan and Pakistan would not stop its diplomatic support to Kashmir’s freedom.

Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik’s wife Mishaal Malik said youth had always brought about revolutions through their movements. She said the Kashmiri youth would be successful in their revolution in the Indian-occupied Kashmir through their sacrifices. She said Burhan Wani had exposed the Indian atrocities to the world.

Poets Amjad Islam Amjad and Rehman Faris, who is Additional Commissioner Income Tax, read their poetry on Kashmir. Punjab University Journalism Department Former Chairman Dr Shafiqiue Jallundhri and others also spoke on the occasion.

JI seminar: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) organised a seminar on the freedom movement for Kashmir here on Saturday.

The seminar titled "Freedom Movement of Kashmir and Qazi Haussain Ahamd' was addressed by Syed Ali Geelani, Sardar Masood Khan, Fareed Paracha, Mian Maqsood, Aif Luqman Qazi, Orya Maqbool Jan, Ahamad Rasheed Turabi and others. People from different sections of society attended the event.

The struggle of Qazi Huassain for the Kashmir cause will be remembered forever. Qazi felt pain of Kashmiris and expressed it with bravery before the whole world, said the speakers. Syed Ali Geelani and Sardar Masood Khan addressed the participants through video link. Abdul Rasheed Turbai said the youth of Kashmir was convinced that jihad was necessary for freedom of Kashmir so they chose the path of jihad. Qazi patronised the Aikhawane Mujahedeen and Kashmiri Maujahdeen, he added.

Mian Maqasood said the Pakistani rulers could not play their role effectively in the movement. Kashmiris want to be part of Pakistan.

Syed Ali Geelani thanked Pakistan for unconditional support. He urged more role of Pakistan’s rulers. Freedom is the right of Kashmiris, he said. He urged the United Nations to play its role to free Kashmir from the Indian occupation.

The JI leaders reiterated the support of the Pakistani nation to Kashmiris' struggle for their right to self-determination, saying that the longstanding issue should be resolved in the light of United Nations resolutions. They paid rich tributes to Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani for his continuous struggle spanning decades for the independence of Kashmir from the Indian occupation.