Staff Reporter
Describing the State of Junagarh as the absolute legal part of Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir President, Sardar Masood Khan, has said that India held the territory illegally and in violation of international law and the Indian Independence Act.
He made these remarks while addressing a seminar commemorating Junagarh Black Day, the day when India illegally invaded and occupied the territories of Junagarh State in 1947.
Organized by MUSLIM Institute, the event was addressed by His Highness, Nawab Jahangir Khanji, the hereditary ruler of the State of Junagarh, Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan, Federal Minister for State and Frontier Regions, Shehryar Khan Afridi, Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, Dr Maria Sultan, Director General SASSI, Prof. Dr Ejaz Akram, University of Politics and Law Chonging China, and Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Ali, Chairman of MUSLIM Institute.
Addressing as Chief Guest of the event, President Sardar Masood Khan said Junagarh was one of the 562 states of United India and according to the Partition Plan of India in 1947, the then ruler of the State Nawab Mohabbat Khan Khanji after the approval of Junagarh State Council, announced accession of the state to Pakistan. The historical document of accession with the signature of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah still exists.
“Junagarh is hundred per cent Pakistan legally; now usurped by India. Today His Highness Nawab Jahangir Khanji, the hereditary ruler of the state once again reaffirmed his unfailing fealty to Pakistan,” Masood.
He went on to say that India fraudulently occupied this State on November 9, 1947, and kept it under its illegal occupation to date. It is a good omen that an awareness campaign had been launched about Junagarh to awaken the young generation of Pakistan about the historical truth and expressed his gratitude to the MUSLIM Institute for this great initiative.
Supporting a suggestion made by Nawab Muhammad Jahangir Khanji that the government of Pakistan should give representation to Junagarh in Pakistan, the President said that Junagarh was forgotten by people but was highlighted again after a map was issued by Pakistan showing it as part of Pakistan.
“Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Indian National Congress leader Sardar Patel, VP Menon and even Mahatma Gandhi had made the plan and executed to occupy the State of Jammu and Kashmir and then the state of Junagarh under a conspiracy. We have to take back our lost territories from India,” he asserted.
Mr Khan said that if the region of Azad Kashmir had not been free, the Kashmir issue would have forgotten like Junagarh, adding that Azad Kashmir has its own elected President and Prime Minister and a Legislative Assembly and similarly Gilgit-Baltistan is also enjoying a status of a semi-autonomous region.
Targetting the government of Narendra Modi of his scathing criticism, President Khan said BJP-RSS government in India was pursuing a Hindutva policy under which they wanted to rid India of non-Hindus and were targeting all minorities mainly Muslims. “We have to fight Hindutva and fascism because it is a war of civilization and we will have to win it,” he said.
Hindutva driven policies of Indian rulers had led the Indian state to indulge in conflicts with all its neighbours, which he said, had posed a serious threat to regional security and stability.
Nawab Jahangir Khanji on the occasion said that the issue of Junagarh is a national issue. We as a nation should not forget our history and it is never too late to raise the Junagarh occupation internationally. He said that the occupation of Junagarh by India was a naked act of aggression as the state had acceded to Pakistan in September 1947. The Indian, he said was against the norms and conventions of international law.
