NPC holds seminar on Kashmir, takes out rally to express solidarity with Kashmiris
Zubair Qureshi
Nazriya Pakistan Council (NPC) on Friday in connection with the Sept 6 Defence Day celebrations organized a seminar titled ‘Kashmir: Past & Present’ at the Aiwan-e-Quaid, Fatima Jinnah Park and staged a rally expressing solidarity with Kashmiris in the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).
As this year’s Defence Day has been dedicated to the Kashmir Solidarity Day, the NPC’s seminar also focused on the deteriorating human situation in the occupied valley—municipal and administrative chaos, disruption of all communication links and denial of fundamental rights to some 10 million Kashmiris by the occupying Indian forces for the last one month.Eminent defence analysts, intellectuals and veterans of the 1965, 1971 and 1999 wars participated in the Kashmir Seminar and called upon the government to adopt aggressive diplomatic policy to shake the world community from deep slumber over this unfinished agenda of the Division of India.Chairman of the NPC Dr Naeem Ghani presided over the seminar while Maj Gen (R) Rahmat Khan delivered keynote address.
Gen Rehmat said Kashmir was a matter of life and death for Pakistan and no government can sideline this issue. Indian by design withdrew special status of the Held Kashmir but by doing so it has entered a blind alley and now we are hearing voices from within Indian against the Modi government’s fascist and ill-advised move.Now it is up to us to raise the issue in the United Nations with full force and urge the international community to pay heed to the suffering humanity in the Held Valley, said the general.He called upon all the patriotic forces and parties to set aside their internal differences and build a unified stance on Kashmir. Unless we are united we cannot hope to bring Indian on its knees.Chairman of the NPC Dr Naeem Ghani thanking Gen Rahmant for a soul-stirring address, condemned fascist Modi’s oppressive policies against the innocent Kashmiris. In Dr Naeem Ghani’s words, Pakistan was incomplete without Kashmir and the government has taken a right step by closing down all the diplomatic channels with India unless articles ensuring Kashmir’s special status are restored. Senior Member of the NPC Executive Committee Maj Gen (R) Muhammad Tahir also spoke on the occasion and criticized the international community for keeping mum on Kashmir. Pakistan, he said should raise the Kashmir issue on all international forums and expose Indian aggression against its own people through all diplomatic and humanitarian channels.Principal Elementary College of Education Prof Shazia Akbar recited a poem on Kashmir.
Nazriya Pakistan Council earlier on Thursday led a rally in support of the Kashmiri people. A large number of school, college students, their teachers and youths and members of civil society participated in the rally and raised slogans for the freedom of Kashmir and against the brutalities of the occupying Indian forces in the held valley.
