President Of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) Calls For Bringing India To Task For HR Violations In IoK

AJK President Sardar Masood Khan said Friday that intimidation of any kind by the Indian occupation forces would not be able to subdue the indigenous unarmed struggle of the Kashmiri people for their just right to self-determination.

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2018 ) , April 20 (APP)::AJK President Sardar Masood Khan said Friday that intimidation of any kind by the Indian occupation forces would not be able to subdue the indigenous unarmed struggle of the Kashmiri people for their just right to self-determination.

The President made these remarks while speaking as Chief guest at a seminar titled "Kashmir Conflict: Response of Global Players", hosted by the state-run Women University of AJK, Bagh. The President continued that the innocent people of Indian Occupied Kashmir had been facing atrocities of Indian occupation forces who had imprisoned the Kashmiris in their own homeland.

He said that "lawless laws" like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Public Safety Act had provided the Indian army and law agencies absolute immunity from any sort of prosecution. The Indian forces, he said, were freely killing, illegally incarcerating, torturing and maiming Kashmiri brothers and sisters.

He added that Indian forces openly dishonor womenfolk and were consciously using sexual violence as an instrument of war. Strongly condemning the killings of over 20 Kashmiris in Shopian and the brutal gang-rape and murder of 8-year-old Asifa Bano, President Masood Khan said that for 70 years the people of Kashmir had been subjected to flagrant human right violations.

"The word violation is only a euphemism. Indian atrocities constitute war crimes, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and genocide," he added. President AJK said that India under a myopic approach towards Kashmir had adopted a policy of aggression, violence and hostility in its attempt to suppress the freedom movement in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Their aggression, economic and political blandishments had failed to win any support from the Kashmiris, he added. "The Kashmiri people are not begging for their freedom. It is their right that they are struggling for and the will certainly achieve it.

The Kashmiris are simply demanding to exercise their right to self-determination under the United Nations Security Council resolutions." said the President. President Masood Khan said that India demonizing the Kashmiris as terrorists even though Kashmiris live within the most heavily guarded and electronically shriveled borders; having no access to arms of any kind.

"The Kashmiris are the most unarmed people on earth and have even been denied their right to self-defence." President AJK said that the international powers must forgo its economic, strategic and political interests with India and take India to task for the atrocities being perpetrated in IOK.

He said that the UN Security Council must debate on the matter and carry out an impartial investigation into the human right violations in IOK and ensure implementation of its resolution for a free and fair plebiscite.

The President said that India has been using the excuse of talks to maintain the status quo and prolonging its occupation in IOK. We must reject the bilateral talks and raise the issue at the appropriate platforms � UNSC and other international forums � for an early resolution to this long-standing issue.

President AJK urged to forge unity among our ranks, approach the United Nations and other influential forums, exploit the traditional and modern means of communication. He said by leveraging the strengths of our diaspora community we must reach out to the global civil society in raising awareness about this issue.

The President on the occasion commended the Vice Chancellor of Women University, Bagh and the Department of International Relations for organizing such an important seminar. He complimented the researchers on presenting their papers, terming them as thoroughly researched using contemporary references and idioms.

He added that Women University of AJK, Bagh will be a catalyst for women empowerment in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir where students are being taught advanced life sciences. "Let your academic and professional competence be the driving force for your confidence.

You must take your destiny into your own hands and shape it" he said to the students. The seminar was attended by Sardar Mir Akbar Khan, Minister for Forest, Wild Life and Fisheries; Prof. Dr. Haleem Khan, Vice Chancellor Women University of AJK; Ms Durdana Ansari, senior British journalist; Ms.

Sumaira Farrukh, British based social worker and philanthropist; officials of the district administration, faculty and a large number of students.