ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman said that India should withdraw its forces from occupied Kashmir and remove the black laws imposed there, adding that the deployment of forces in the state meant that everything was not well there.
Rehman, who is also the Chairman of Parliament's special committee on Kashmir, was responding to a statement by Rajya Sabha member and former Indian deputy High Commissioner in Karachi Mani Shankar Aiyar, who had commented earlier in the day that a military solution to the Kashmir issue was not possible.
Aiyar, who was originally born in Lahore before partition, had recently visited Pakistan, where he called on both countries to move forward on peace using diplomatic means.
Rahman seconded Aiyar’s position that the Kashmir issue could not be resolved militarily and that a solution was a imperative for durable peace in the South Asia.
Aiyar had called for greater trade, exchange of sports and cultural delegations for burgeoning peace in the region.
The JUI-F chief added that despite resumption of trade ties and exchange of various delegations in the past 65 years, peace could not prevail in the region. Wars had hindered development in both nations because resources were spent on military, instead of economic development. Hence, India should withdraw forces from occupied Kashmir, and deregulate black laws there.
The committee chairman made it clear that Pakistan wanted resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people, and not that of India. India has maintained that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that there was no freedom movement in the state.
Rehman pointed out that if all was well in the state, why has India deployed around 800,000 security personnel in the state, imposed authoritarian laws.
He added that the purpose of sending delegations and interlocutors like Dileep Padgaonkar for dialogue with the Kashmiris, is to shove the Kashmir issue under the carpet.
COMMENTS (26)
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Pakistanis, stop potraying India as a draconian country. We have more muslims in our country and they are happier than those in Pakistan. We have had Kalam, Hamid Ansari, Zakir Husain as our presidents and dy presidents. So, stop claiming that Pakistan is country of muslims and Kashmir. And kashmir we have given them adequate representation at all the levels. So, stop worrying about kasmiris and be concerner about your country's progress.
This fight has been started by India and We Pakistan will end it and will make India a lesson to the rest of world. The fight continues and will continue till the Liberation of our brothers and sisters. Inshallah
what about POK??
@Binzaid, exactly my point
Who else doesn't?
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed The Peoples Democratic Party today said it favoured solution to the Kashmir problem within the Constitution of India.
Can ET run a story on the lives of people from what you call Azad Kashmir and what we call POK? It will be interesting to know.
The mullah must take a look at this particular act which is very similar to AFSPA, if not more "draconian" than AFSPA that he talks about.'
http://tribune.com.pk/story/219750/war-against-the-taliban-govt-tramples-on-civil-rights-in-tribal-areas/
People who oppose one principle in India, do not oppose the same in Pakistan. Strange isn't it.
Why not Pakistan take the lead. Withdraw from Pak occupied Kashmir and make it an independent country. After that ask India to do the same and merge the two portions.
Aameeen ….. Doctor Fazlur Rehman Sahib is trying to repair the totally cut and damaged Jugular Vein. May God help him ….. ????
Surely Rehman is exaggerating when he say there are 800000 soldiers in Kashmir. Does he know how much that will cost India? Furthermore these soldiers are in major city locations if that were the case these cities will choke and would not be able to function. India should not move the 100000 soldiers away from Kashmir because as soon as India does so the Pakistan army on the other side of the LOC will move in and occupy. This Rehman guy wants to get Kashmir under the pretext of doing good for Kashmiris. If he is serious he should work to improve the lives of Kashmiris on his side and also of Pakistanis who live under threat of bombings and killings.
@Khan: how can you compare AK with indian occupied kashmir, there are no Pak forces in AK towns or ciities, there are some on loc protecting our borders, you cant even imagine how people in kashmir love Pak forces, bdw i am from azad kashmir
Maulana should go to his alma mater in Deoband and muster strength and pressurize India to accept what Maulana Fazal ur Rehman wants. If he succeeds then come back and demand adequate number of seats in the Cabinet for his party.
Smart comment from a guy who never stepped outside his own house.
Mr. Rehman's statements are only intended for domestic consumption to up his chances in the forthcoming elections - everybody knows that. One remembers his rather contrite (almost pro-India) statements on Kashmir when he had visited India a few years back for religious reasons. From what I can see, Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar is more Pakistani than a lot of Pakistanis I know. And not surprising, for after all that is his "motherland". Mr. Rehman is basically a typical two-faced politician from the subcontinent -- the kind you will meet almost anywhere from Khyber to Kanyakumari. At least Mr. Aiyar (whose RS statement prompted this article) is a staunch and consistent apologist for Pakistan, so the readers ought to give the proper man the credit!
Very sensible talk by Maulana Fazlu. Only one needs to replace "India" with "Pakistan"
Whats the point of even making such a statement when we all know thats not going to happen. The mullah has either purposely blurred his sense of reality or is living way above the clouds from where reality isn't visible to him.
Kashmir belongs to Pakistan and I doubt Kashmir can be liberated through dialogue. As an Azad Kashmiri I wish one day all of my Kashmiri brothers will be liberated like us.
Too much halwa.
@khan, Being from Azad Kashmir myself, your comment makes no sense at all however it does expose you as an indian troll.
@a_writer: What about India stop sending its RAW terrorists to Pakistani soil first?
It is amusing that the number of Indian army personnel as per these reports keeps going up by 100,000 at a time. So now according to this gentleman, 60% of the 1.4 mn Indian army is in Kashmir, and that too in the major civilian locations. Less civilians have died in Kashmir this year than in Karachi this month - surprising he doesn't have a solution for that.
Mr. Fazlu Rehman why don't you focus on our own beloved Pakistan.
Why dont you ask terrorist and religious organizations like Sipah Sabah or Pakistan Taliban and Jundullah to stop killing our own people and stop bombing ..
"Rehman pointed out that if all was well in the state, why has India deployed around 800,000 security personnel in the state, imposed authoritarian laws." - India has to provide a place for all their military personnel. Kashmir is as good as any other place in India that belongs to India.
Regarding the 'authoritarian laws' - funny coming from a country that has spent more than half its existence under dictatorship!
Pakistan stop sending in the terrorists, India sends the army back to the barracks; simple as that.
I believe that as soon as the Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir are left alone by our dear Pakistani troops, Armed Forces, and other rogues, then we can make a major case for India to do the same in Occupied Kashmir. Until then, it's best we shut up and not look like the world's biggest idiots.