'Kashmir has become dreadful battleground’

Syed Ali Gilani urges world to differentiate between a demand for right to self-determination and terrorism

ISLAMABAD: All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Gilani has said that Kashmir has become a dreadful battleground due to India’s stubborn approach towards the decade old Kashmir dispute in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

While paying tributes to the youth martyred by Indian troops during a cordon and search operation in Bandipora district, Syed Ali Gilani said, “Time and again we have raised our voice for justice to the people of Kashmir, but India’s arrogance and stubbornness is a major stumbling block in the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.”

“Our right to self-determination is not a sin, especially when the people bear a glorious history of gentle nature and a peace loving mentality,” he added.

He said when the people of Kashmir raise their just and legitimate demand for a peaceful settlement of the dispute as promised by the then Indian leadership, they, in turn, get bullets, pellets and disgrace of every kind, at the hands of the occupational forces.

Syed Ali Gilani urged the world community to differentiate between a demand for right to self-determination and terrorism, whether committed by states or non-state elements, and termed the ongoing movement well in accordance with the United Nations resolutions and other legitimate political and democratic norms.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2018.