Speakers at an event in Maryland (US) have said that the unparalleled sacrifices rendered by the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir for freedom will not go in vain.
According to Kashmir Media Service, they were addressing at a reception hosted in the honour of Sardar Abdul Khalique Wasi, former member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council at Kashmir House in Maryland.
Sardar Abdul Khalique Wasi in his address said, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is facing the worst kind of persecution unleashed by 900,000 Indian military and paramilitary personnel. He said, civilians are being killed, maimed, blinded, incarcerated, tortured and humiliated by the Indian occupational forces personnel enjoying impunity under draconian laws.
“Modi administration is using all available military might to suppress the peaceful political resistance movement of Kashmir. It is vitally important that self-determination be granted to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to bring peace and stability to the region of South Asia,” he said.
Sardar Abdul Khalique Wasi urged the Kash-miri American community, living in Washington and New York metropolitan areas to participate in a peaceful protest at the United Nations headquarters in New York on September 22, 2023, during the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech to the UN General Assembly. He added that the sacrifices given by the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir are unparalleled in the history of South Asia and we cannot let these sacrifices go in vain under any circumstances.
Sardar Abdul Khalique Wasi maintained that the people of Azad Kashmir have always stood by the people of IIOJK in this endeavor, and other countries of the world should take note of the atrocities committed by India against the oppressed Kashmiris. He emphasized that the Kashmiris, regardless of their political affiliation or ideology, will not accept any solution for Kashmir other than the right to self-determination.
Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of World Kashmir Awareness Forum, said the Kash-miris’ objective of peaceful protest on September 22, 2023, is to draw attention of the United Nations to the situation in IIOJK and to exert pressure on India to stop human right violations in IIOJK and resolve the Kashmir dispute. He appreciated the Americans of Azad Kashmir ancestry for their unwavering support to the ultimate objective – right to self-determination.
Raja Liaqat Kayani, President of Kashmir House, Maryland, thanked the chief guest, Sardar Wasi Sahib and other attendees for honoring the occasion. “Kashmir House belongs to every person who stands with the cause of the people of Kashmir. We do welcome everybody here, irrespective of their party affiliation or political orientation,” he stated.
Sardar Zarif Khan, Honorary Advisor to the President of Azad Kashmir and emcee of the event drew the attention of Biden Administration to the grave human rights situation in IIOJK and urged the US to intervene in facilitating a meaningful tripartite dialogue among India, Pakistan and genuine leadership of Jammu and Kashmir to settle the Kashmir dispute.
Syed Faisal from Dubai admired the Kashmiri American community for being the ambassadors of peace in the US for the Kashmir cause.
Sardar Zubair Khan demanded the release of all Kashmiri political prisoners including APHC Chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah and Aasiya Andrabi. We also demand the repeal of various special repressive laws; and demand that India restore the rights of peaceful association, assembly and demonstrations, Sardar Zubair added.
Prof Saeed Khalil said if India professes that it is a democracy then fulfilling the promise that it has made to the people of Kashmir is the right thing to do. That promise, he added was that the future of Kashmir shall be decided by the Kashmiri people through a plebiscite conducted and supervised by the UN.
Khurshid Abbasi, a well-known journalist, said that the press freedom is muzzled and censored in IIOJK to silence the people who demand their right to self-determination. He suggested that it is better for the India to shun its stubborn approach and resolve the long pending Kashmir dispute.
Sardar Aftab Roshan Khan, the local host of the chief guest, said the Indian Army is perpetrating the genocide of Kashmiris. There is no freedom but death, destruction, and oppression in IIOJK.
Shafiq Shah of Maryland said it is a fact that Kashmir conflict remains the underlying cause of confrontation between India and Pakistan. We believe that it is only fair that the Kashmir dispute must be decided in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people and under UN Security Council resolutions, he added.
Sardar Shakeel Khan’s message to the people of Kashmir was simple: continue your peaceful struggle; freedom is ours; and don’t compromise on your basic principle of self-determination.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Sardar Shakeel Anjum, Mazhar Kayani, Sardar Aftab Khan, Sardar Tariq Khan, Khalid Faheem, Sardar Abid Khan, Danish Asghar, Shereen Khan, Latif Kayani, Sardar Javaid Shafi, Sardar Jahanzeb Khan and Shaheen Khan.—KMS
