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Thursday March 28, 2024

‘Free leaders to see how they react to IHK changes’

By Mumtaz Alvi
August 15, 2019

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday talked to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and told him that Pakistan will not abandon its principled stance on the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).

Qureshi talked to Lavrov on phone and informed him about the illegal and unilateral steps taken by the Indian government to change the disputed status of the IHK and its demographic structure, a Foreign Office statement said.

He said the Indian steps were against the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and international law.

The foreign minister underlined that Indian actions entailed grave risks for peace and security, and highlighted the severe hardships faced by Kashmiris in the face of unprecedented lockdown.

Qureshi apprised Sergey Lavrov of the deteriorating situation of safety and security of population in the occupied valley, which had been under curfew for the last 10 days. He also shared concerns about the intensified repression by Indian security forces and the possibility of a false flag operation, which would further endanger peace and security in the region.

He told his Russian counterpart that Pakistan had already requested the UNSC president to convene a meeting to discuss the illegal actions of India in the IHK. Lavrov stated that Russia was closely observing the situation and underlined the importance of resolution of all outstanding issues through dialogue and peaceful means. The two leaders agreed to continue to work together for peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, addressing a PTI rally here at the D-Chowk taken out from Rawalpindi as a mark of solidarity with Kashmiris, Qureshi asked New Delhi to lift curfew in the IHK and allow the Kashmiri leadership to freely express their views, if it wanted to check their reaction to the recent developments in the IHK and their stance about their political future.

He said Modi had taken a heinous step by trying to do away with the IHK’s special status, which was being condemned even within India.

“By resorting to amending the constitution, the Modi regime has not only tried to erase the IHK’s special status, but also usurped the rights of Kashmiris.” He said the entire Occupied Kashmir today was under curfew and asked if prosperity would come to the area by adopting such ways.

“If India wants to see the stance of Kashmiris, then the curfew should be lifted and their leadership should be allowed to express their views. Everything will be crystal clear then,” he maintained.

The minister said all political and religious parties were united on the issue of Kashmir and every Pakistani was with the people of Kashmir. “Our destination is freedom of Kashmir and Kashmir will become (part of) Pakistan,” he added. He emphasised that Kashmiris would continue their struggle for achieving their ultimate destination adding that Pakistan did not want war with India but peace.

“But if war was imposed on us, then the response would be a crushing one. The Muslim Ummah should raise its voice for the people of Kashmir,” he added. Qureshi explained that Pakistan had shared its case with the UN and moved the Security Council for an emergency meeting on the situation.

He paid tribute to Kashmiris for their valiant struggle, marked by countless sacrifices but the world continued to remain silent. The minister said black day would be observed throughout the world, including Pakistan, on Thursday.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur said the entire nation was behind the people of Kashmir and would never let them down. He said Kashmir was Pakistan’s jugular vein and Pakistan’s armed forces would support Kashmiris until freedom.

He called on the United Nations and other world bodies to take notice of India’s illegal and unconstitutional actions and the worst kind of human right violations in the IHK. Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Narendra Modi had tried to take away the identity of Kashmiris through his recent actions but failed to do so.

She emphasised that through the use of brute force and amending the constitution, Modi would never be able to change Kashmir’s status and suppress their passion for freedom. She said Allah Almighty had blessed Pakistan with a daring and courageous leader like Imran Khan as prime minister, who had given a clear-cut message to his Indian counterpart in his address to the AJK Legislative Assembly and told him to desist from state terrorism. Dr. Awan maintained that the people and Government of Pakistan would never disappoint the Kashmiris, adding that each Pakistani felt the pain and agony of every Kashmiri.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, she noted, had the resolve to project the Kashmir cause at every world forum. About the PTI government, she emphasized that the prime minister had begun the journey of bringing about stability in Pakistan and the next year would be the year of ‘Tameer-e-Pakistan’.

The government, she noted, had decided to mark the Independence Day by expressing solidarity with Kashmiris and it was the first year of the independence of Naya Pakistan. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mian Shahbaz Sharif said they will break the hands of Modi but not allow him to occupy Kashmir.

“Our hearts beat with Kashmiris. The Butcher of Gujarat is perpetrating atrocities in the IHK. We will break his hands but not allow him to occupy Kashmir,” said Shahbaz Sharif while addressing a ceremony here. He said thousands of people had laid down their lives for independence of Pakistan. “People are embracing Shahadat day and night in Kashmir. Modi is massacring people of Kashmir.

He has dreamt a bad dream of occupying Kashmir. He occupied illegally Kashmir by revoking article 370. The people of Pakistan stand with Kashmiris.” He said Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan and one day it would become Pakistan.