‘Countries which ignored Kashmir issue, now talk about it’

Students highlight Indian atrocities through tableaus, speeches

ISLAMABAD: Kashmir remains an unfinished agenda of subcontinent’s Partition, and Pakistan will continue its unconditional support to Kashmiris which have been oppressed by India.

This was stated by the Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur on Tuesday while addressing the Solidarity with Kashmiri Youth Conference, organised by Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) and National Highways Authority (NHA).

Reiterating that the Kashmir issue has already been internationalised by Prime Minister Imran Khan and efforts of the government, he said that several countries were now talking about it.

“The countries which did not want to speak on the Kashmir issue have started raising their voices in favour of the Kashmiri people,” Gandapur said, reminding that nearly a million Indian forces were committing unprecedented human rights violations in disputed Himalayan territory split between the nuclear-tipped but hostile neighbours.

‘Nation stands with people of Kashmir’

He added that residents of the occupied valleys of Jammu and Kashmir have been waiting for the implementation of resolutions of the United Nations for the past seven decades. “Time is not far when Kashmiris will enjoy freedom,” he asserted, adding that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ideology has already caused much damage to regional peace.

Social media activism

Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed urged the country's youth to play their role in highlighting Indian brutalities meted out to Kashmiris on digital media platforms, so as to expose the real face of Indian secularism before the world community.

Addressing the conference, he vowed to continue support for Kashmiris until they achieve self-determination.

There is a need to build a strong national narrative on Kashmir, Saeed said, while lauding efforts of the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration for enhancing awareness amongst the youth about Kashmir cause.

The communications minister reminded that since 1986, over 100,000 innocent and unarmed Kashmiris have been martyred. Despite this tremendous sacrifice, he said that the Kashmiri people were rendering unmatched sacrifices for winning freedom from the clutches of the brutal Indian forces.

He urged students from Islamabad’s and colleges to play their role in promoting the Kashmir cause at every forum possible.

Terming Indian PM Modi as a modern proponent of the Nazi ideology of Adolf Hitler, who believed in the supremacy of the Aryan race, Saeed said PM Imran had exposed this face of India.

"The nation is united on the Kashmir issue and all segments of society are unanimous about the cause. India has martyred Burhan Wani but hundreds of Burhan Wanis have already been born there to resist Indian occupation,” the federal minister said, adding that Kashmiris have great affection for Pakistanis and that they want to be part of the country.

Occupied Kashmir sees more than $2.4 billion losses since lockdown: group

Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Chairman Faisal Javed said Pakistan has successfully raised the Kashmir issue in different international forums. DC Hamza Shafqaat said the systematic campaign dedicated to enhancing awareness for observing Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5, was going on for the last for the next 10 days.

Students present tableaus

Students of schools under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and Roots Millennium Schools mesmerised the audience at the Convention Centre by highlighting Indian brutalities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir through tableau, national songs in an effective way.

The students mostly belonging to FDE-run schools through their performance demanded of the world to implement the UN resolution on Kashmir and true letter and spirit. Students of over 400 schools and colleges of FDE and private schools attended the conference.  

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2020.