World urged to end silence on Kashmir

Islamabad: India is using intimidation and coercion as weapons of state in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir to suppress the freedom-seeking residents, so it is the moral duty of the United Nations Security Council and international community to end the criminal silence and stop India from pursuing its hegemonic designs, which have escalated after it abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5 about the region's special status.

The call was made by Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider while addressing an international seminar on Kashmir: The Issue, Global Scenario and Policy Imperatives’ that was organised by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, in collaboration with Policy Research Forum, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, (PRFAJK) and Maritime Study Forum (MSF).

Chaired by former senator Javed Jabbar, the event was also addressed by national and international speakers of high stature including Syed Fakhar Imam, chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, Khalid Rahman, executive president, IPS, Professor Dr Roger van Zwanenberg, a veteran scholar of history and political economy based in London, Professor Dr Yashpal Amarchand Tandon, a Ugandian-British policymaker of Indian descent, Dr Akis Kalaitzidis, professor of political science at the Department of Government, International Studies and Languages, University of Central Missouri, USA, Prof Dr Halil Toker, Istanbul University, Syed Iftikhar Gilani, a senior journalist from the Indian-occupied Kashmir, now based in Ankara, Dr Asma Shakir Khwaja, associate professor, National Defence University (NDU), Prof Dr Nazir Hussain, director, School of Politics and International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Prof Dr Fazl ul Hadi Wazeen, an academic and politician based in Kabul, Dr Syed Muhammad Anwer, former deputy attorney general of Pakistan and president MSF, Air Cdr (r) Khalid Iqbal, senior security analyst and member IPS National Academic Council, and Farzana Yaqoob, IPS associate and a former member of the AJK Legislative Assembly.

PM Haider, in his keynote speech, said that over 100 days have passed since India laid siege to occupied Kashmir, imposed a curfew, and violated UN resolutions as well as all international and national agreements in the process.