Call for diplomatic campaigns for resolution of Kashmir issue

The National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) organised a seminar on ‘Kashmir issue – Revocation of Articles 35A and 370 of Indian Constitution: Options for Pakistan vis-à-vis Rising Hindutva in India’ at the Bahria University Karachi on Friday.

A navy spokesman said Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi the chief guest. Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider was the guest of honour in the second session of the seminar.

During the seminar, prominent and distinguished speakers, including Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Ambassador (retd) Abdul Basit, former CJCSC General (retd) Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Group Captain (retd) Sultan M Hali, Dr Rabia Akhtar, and eminent policy makers, security analysts and academicians contemplated on historical, legal, ethical and socio-political aspects of the Kashmir issue beside implementation of the Hindutva Ideology by India’s the BJP fascist government.

The speakers underscored the need of effective diplomatic and media campaigns to mobilise international community on Kashmir crisis and strongly condemned the Indian atrocities in the occupied Kashmir. In this context, the policy options for Pakistan to effectively deal with ongoing crisis in Kashmir were also deliberated.

Earlier, NIMA Director General Vice Admiral (retd) Abdul Aleem highlighted “the special status of Kashmiris” as well as depriving the citizenship status of certain segments of Indian Muslims which “is an obvious evidence of the emerging face of Indian fascism”.

Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider told the audience that holding a “plebiscite is the only solution to the Kashmir issue”. He stressed the need to project the Kashmir issue among the international community for “its rightful solution in the favour of Kashmiris”.

Later, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi in his closing remarks criticised India’s move to change the status of the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. He said it was another manifestation of the Indian government to promote the Hindutva Ideology which “is aimed at saffronising India and turning it into a Hindu-dominated Hindustan”.

He said Kashmir being the core conflict between India and Pakistan had its implication on the security situation at sea. The Pakistan Navy however was well aware of the resultant challenges and was ready and prepared to thwart the enemy’s ill designs, he added. The seminar was attended by a large number of dignitaries, Tri-Services officers, academia, media representatives, members of think tanks, and students of the Bahria University Karachi. .