Keep unity on Kashmir cause: AJK President

AJK president urges local and overseas Kashmiris to adhere to security police of Pakistan

MIRPUR: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Monday emphasised that people of Pakistan, AJK and the diaspora must unify on a common stance on Kashmir and not deviate from the national security policy.

The president expressed these views while addressing a seminar on “Role of Overseas Kashmiris for Kashmir Cause and development of AJK” held at Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST).

The seminar was also addressed by Kashmir-origin member of British Parliament Naz Shah, AJK minister for Sports, Culture, MDA and MDHA Muhammad Saeed, MUST Vice Chancellor Prof Habibur Rehman, Jammu and Kashmir Self-determination Movement Europe Chairman Raja Najabat Hussain, MUST Director Students Affairs Prof Shahid Amin and others.

The visiting Kashmir-origin councillors of various city councils of UK were also present on the occasion.

Masood said that a focused approach was needed by all for the peaceful and just resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance to the UN resolutions.

“The Kashmiri diaspora needs to be unified. We will have to synergise our efforts to positively advocate the Kashmir cause in a fruitful manner,” said the president.

He said that despite political and ideological differences, stance on Kashmir must be in sync with national security policy and the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

President Masood said that the innocent people of Jammu and Kashmir have been virtually imprisoned in their homeland; they are being murdered, jailed on false pretences, the women are being dishonoured and young unarmed protestors are shot with pellet guns. “It is our duty to liberate out brothers and sisters from the shackles of Indian occupation forces”, he added.

Masood told the gathering that the AJK government has taken great strides to develop the renewable energy sector, mining and extraction sector, agriculture, tourism, telecommunications and quality higher education. AJK is on a path of development and will actively contribute to greater economic growth in the region, he said.

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor, will prove to be a catalyst of change in the region. “With over 10 million overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris we have to create investment opportunities for the economic growth of our country,” he urged.

The p-resident said the month of October holds a significant place in the history of Kashmir, as it was on October 24 in 1947 that Azad Kashmir gained its independence and on October 27 the Indian forces through false pretext invaded Kashmir forcefully occupying and enslaving its local populace.

India has fruitlessly tried to financially and economically divert the Kashmiris from their freedom struggle, said Masood Khan.

“We will not be faltered from our true objective, that is, the right to self-determination of the people of Kashmir”, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2017.