Imran offers conditional talks on Kashmir

By News Desk

KOTLI: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday once again invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for a dialogue on the Kashmir issue, but stressed that Pakistan’s desire for peace should not be misconstrued for weakness.

Speaking at a gathering held here to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, the Prime Minister said Pakistan is ready to talk to India but called on New Delhi to reverse its August 5, 2019 actions and grant the right of self-determination to the Kashmiris as preconditions.

But the country’s quest for peace must not be misconstrued as weakness, he added. “Never misunderstand our offer for friendship is based on any fear. This is the country of Allah’s believers, who are afraid of nothing except Allah,” the Prime Minister remarked.

The event was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Afridi, Special Assistant to the PM Rauf Hassan and President of PTI’s AJK Chapter Barrister Sultan Mahmood, in addition to thousands of the people from across the territory.

The Prime Minister’s remarks coincided with the country’s observance of solidarity with the Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control, and to mark the day, ceremonies across the country were held. President Alvi led a Kashmir Solidarity walk in Muzaffarabad, while Foreign Minister Qureshi wrote to the UN Secretary General and other world leaders.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said India could never win over the resolute Kashmiri people by using force, and the implementation of the UNSC resolutions guaranteeing right to self-determination to them is “the only solution”.

“World history tells that no army could ever win over a population. When a nation stands united, it defeats even the powerful armies. The United States, a super power could not win in Vietnam. No super power could win in Afghanistan. France could not win over the population in Algeria,” he said.

Reiterating his commitment to raise the Kashmiris’ voice across the world as “Ambassador of Kashmir”, the Prime Minister said instead of suppressing the Kashmiri people, Narendra Modi’s Hindutva ideology would destroy Indian society.

He thanked the people of Kotli for the warm reception and said he was there to remind the world community of their unfulfilled commitment of granting self-determination right to the Kashmiri people enshrined in the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The same UN granted right to self-determination to the Christian-majority East Timor through a referendum, liberating it from Indonesia, he added. He said he had reminded the UN of its commitment during his speeches at the General Assembly and would keep doing so until the Kashmiris get their fundamental right.

The Prime Minister said if Kashmiris decide in Pakistan’s favour using their right self-determination, Pakistan will also give them the right to choose whether to stay independent or accede to it.

He said the entire Pakistani nation stands united in solidarity with the Kashmiris. All the Muslims across the globe support the Kashmir cause, even though their respective governments do not outwardly do so, he said. “Even right-minded non-Muslim people also advocate granting self-determination right to the Kashmiris,” he added.

Khan said Pakistan fully realises the atrocities faced by the Kashmiri people, who have been losing their loved ones. “To the level of my strength, I am raising your voice, be it at the United Nations, world leaders, European Union leaders, talked to ex-US President (Donald Trump) thrice to seek his role for Kashmir resolution. I will raise your voice in media. Rest assured, I will raise your voice everywhere as I had committed to act as Ambassador of Kashmir,” he vowed.

The Prime Minister said his government tried to give a message of friendship to India and make it understand that it cannot win over Kashmir through oppression. He said the Kashmiri people would never accept Indian oppression through 900,000 troops as the passion for freedom was inculcated even in newborns.

The Prime Minister said following its unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, India had also lost the support of residual few Kashmiri leaders, who were now calling for freedom. No pro-India politician would ever be able to win election in IIOJK. He said he tried to rectify ties with India through dialogue and seek the Kashmir dispute resolution under the UN resolutions as “there is no other way”. Imran Khan said Indian propaganda against him and the Pakistan Army through hundreds of fake websites was exposed by EU DisinfoLab, he added. “We were trying to develop friendship but they were stabbing us in the back,” he remarked.

He said any society which pursues RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)-like agendas was at risk of ruin, which also divided the Indian society where Muslims were being discriminated and other minorities felt scared. He said Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) always strived to unite the people.

The Quaid-e-Azam and Nelson Mandela were revered just because of their role to unite the divided societies. Pursuing the vision of great leaders, he said, he also desired to unite the people and work for the uplift backward societies.

On the contrary, Modi was dividing the Indian society and in fact laying the foundation of the country’s destruction, he added.