Seminar highlights Khojaly genocide

Islamabad: The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in collaboration with the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) organized a Seminar on ‘Conflicts, Genocides, Wars – Never again. Peace and Stability through Credibility’ at NUST H-12 Campus, Islamabad.

Dr Tughral Yamin Associate Dean at NUST-Centre for International peace & stability in his opening address welcomed all the guest and participants. Dr Tughral said Khojaly genocide, which was committed by the Armenians in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly on the night of 25-26 February 1992, is considered one of the gravest crimes against humanity in the late 20th century.

Mustafa Yurdakul, ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, said the merciless and cruel genocide was the most dreadful mass terror act in the history of humankind. "Turkey didn’t forget Khojaly genocide. As many as 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 old people were killed in the massacre. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people still remains unknown," he said.

Mr Ali Alizada, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, also expressed his views regarding the Russian-backed massacre of innocent Azeri. He said the genocide was a source of constant pain in the hearts of Azerbaijanis and it is wound which will never heal.

He appreciated Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and for standing by the victims of Khojaly genocide. Pakistan has not extended recognition to the newly independent state of Armenia to express solidarity with the people of Azerbaijan, he added.

He also thanked the NUST administration for arranging the seminar for the students as it would help them know more about the issue. The chief guest Dr Fehmida Mirza, federal minister for inter-provincial coordination, highlighted Armenian armed forces massacred innocent people in Khojaly, in order to cover their tracks, they resorted to extreme brutality, destroying Khojaly monuments, which had been of unique importance to both the people of Azerbaijan and entire humanity.

"Khojaly does not differ from horrific tragedies of Katyn, Lidice, Oradour-sur-Glane, Holocaust, Songmy, Rwanda, Srebrenica and on-going genocide by India in Kashmir, which are etched on the minds of people forever. These atrocities went down in the history of wars as genocides of civilians that shook the world," she said.

NUST rector Lt Gen (r) Naweed Zaman also highlighted the ‘Nagorno-Karabakh’ conflict and its future perspective, recounted the historical background of the massacre terming it a tragedy of 20th century and explained its counter effects on the civilized world. At the end of seminar, a short video was also featured on the topic 'call for peace' by Azerbaijani children.