The Chairman of Washington-based World Forum for Peace & Justice, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, has said that the unresolved Kashmir dispute, which is the main cause of tension in South Asia, needs the attention of the United Nations.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai in a statement issued in Washington appreciated the UN’s priority areas for action for 2024 put forward by Secretary General (SG), Antonio Guterres, on Wednesday.
Among other things, the UN Secretary General said, “In today’s troubled world, building peace is Humanity’s Greatest Responsibility,” and that “Humanity is strongest when we stand together.”
Dr Fai said while we appreciate the principle stand that SG articulated on August 10, 2019 that Kashmir dispute must be resolved under the UN Charter and applicable UN Security Council resolutions. He expressed surprise over the omission of Kashmir from the list of priorities of the United Nations for 2024 alongside terrifying and frightening situations in Gaza, Ukraine, Sahal, Libya, Horn of Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Sudan, Myanmar, Haiti, Western Balkans.
“This omission in the priority list for 2024 can have serious and significant consequences. It will embolden India’s intransigence toward Kashmir and provide ammunition to its propaganda. Such an error of omission can encourage India to carry on its campaign or terror and violent repression in Kashmir. It is hard to believe that this could have been the aim of SG,” he said.
The Kashmiri leader said, we recognize that the Government of India would have raised objection, had SG included Kashmir in the list of priority areas for action for 2024. However, Kashmir is internationally recognized as a ‘disputed territory’ whose final status is yet to be resolved. He said it is a historical fact that the dispute over the status of Kashmir can be settled only in accordance with the will of the people, which can be ascertained through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite, also accepted by India.
Dr Fai conveyed to the UN Secretary General that the oppressed, suppressed, and persecuted people of Kashmir are looking towards him to play a role in protecting their rights and ultimately persuade India and Pakistan to initiate a peace process with the genuine leadership of the Kashmiri people to settle the conflict for the sake of international peace and security.—KMS
