|

Kashmir Event Held in Brooklyn, New York

Articles, Uncategorised

New York, December 29, 2013. “The period of incarceration provided me an opportunity for introspection. It was also an opportunity to reflect and to learn from the past and re-focus on the future. This process of self-examination undoubtedly strengthened my inner self and beliefs. It also opened the doors of understanding and growth” said Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai at a reception organized in his honor by Sardar Sawar Khan, former Advisor to the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir. The reception was held at Pakeeza restaurant, Brooklyn, New York and was jointly sponsored by Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conferences; Peoples Party of Pakistan, Azad Kashmir; Jammu Kashmir Muslim League; Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, Jamaat-e-Islamic Azad Kashmir; Jammu Kashmir Liberation League; Jamait-e-Ulama-e-Islam, Azad Kashmir.

Dr. Fai said that during his incarceration, he was uniquely blessed to have the visitations from more than 70 people and the correspondence from 93 persons. He said that It was beyond doubt that it proved to be a source of strength and encouragement during this time of trials and tribulations. Dr. Fai conveyed his deepest appreciation to all his well-wishers for keeping him in their thoughts and prayers.

Dr. Fai appreciated that the latest round of talks between the Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Dr. Manmohan Singh that took place in September 2013 in New York. He, however, underlined the importance of making future talks tripartite — between Governments of India & Pakistan and genuine leadership of the people of Kashmir. He reminded the audience that the history of past sixty-six years testifies to the fact that the bilateral talks between India and Pakistan have been always fruitless. In fact any attempt to strike a deal between any two parties without the association of the third party, will fail to yield a credible settlement.

Dr. Fai said, although there are three parties concerned with the Kashmir dispute: India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir. But the primary and principal party is the people of Kashmir, because it is ultimately their future, the future of 18 million people of Jammu & Kashmir that is at stake.

Sardar Sawar Khan, the main organizer of the event said that the sacrifices of the people of Kashmir demand that the Government of Pakistan, irrespective of its political affiliation must support the people of Kashmir at the diplomatic front. He said there is a consensus is Pakistan that the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir is a legitimate right which needs to be supported at all cost.

Sardar Sawar Khan said that the Kashmir dispute is one of the oldest issues on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council. The United Nations has passed resolutions that have given the people of Jammu & Kashmir the right to decide their future. Sardar Sawar Khan said that no solution would be acceptable to the people of Jammu & Kashmir unless the negotiations include the Kashmiri leadership.

Sardar Haleem Khan of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front and the M.C. of the event said that the Kashmiri resistance demands the unity of action among the leadership not only in Azad Kashmir but in Indian Occupied as well. He said the world powers should respect the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir which is the elementary right of every human being in any civilized society.

Sardar Sarwar Choudhary of Peoples Party of Pakistan highlighted the contribution of Mohtarma Bainazir Sahiba in internationalizing the cause of Kashmir. He also spoke about the huge sacrifices given by the people of Kashmir in seeking their birth right of Azaadi.

Mr. Khalid Awan highlighted the presence of 700,000 Indian military and paramilitary forces which has made Kashmir virtually the hell for its inhabitants. He said that the United States has a moral responsibility to come to the rescue of the oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sardar Mohammad Taj of Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conference spoke about the mass graves which have been discovered in the Valley of Kashmir. He quoted Mr. Gautam Navlakha who spoke on December 22, 2013 about the latest discovery of more than 6,700 mass graves in Kashmir.

Mr.. Imran of Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Kashmir told the audience that Kashmir is not a border dispute but an international conflict that demands just and fair settlement to the satisfaction of all patties concerned. Mr. demanded that the rights of peaceful association, assembly and demonstrations in Indian Occupied Kashmir must be respected.

Mr. Gilgati reiterated that the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgat Baltistan were promised the right to determine their future status through consecutive United Nations resolutions in 1948 and 1949. This was agreed upon by both India and Pakistan but was never honored until today. He emphasize that the action by the united Nations is urgently needed to address the grave human rights situation in Kashmir

Similar Posts

  • |

    The road to peace in Afghanistan goes through Kashmir: Barrister Sultan

    Washington, D.C. June 8, 2014. “The freedom struggle in Jammu & Kashmir has passed through its transformation from armed struggle to a non-violent mass movement. This non-violent, indigenous and peaceful struggle needs to be recognized and strengthened by the world powers.” This was stated by Barrister Sultan Mahmood Choudhary, former Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and Senior Leader of Pakistan Peoples Party – Azad Kashmir while addressing the press and community leaders in Springfield, Virginia.

    Barrister added that the international community has maintained silence at the unending atrocities, which the people of Kashmir are facing on daily basis. The international community seems to forget about Kashmir in the midst of everything that happens in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The world powers should know that there would be no peace in Afghanistan until there is a solution of the Kashmir conflict. The road to peace in Afghanistan goes through Kashmir.

    Barrister Sultan urged India to positively respond to Pakistan’s sincere efforts and willingness for a peaceful settlement on all issues through composite dialogue, including the Kashmir dispute. He added that Kashmiris are the real sufferers and unless they are taken on board no such process can make any headway. He underlined it was imperative that self-determination be granted to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace and stability in the region.

  • |

    Is dislocation of UN Office a path to ‘Insaniat” (Humanity) or a broken promise?

    Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai
    Secretary General
    World Kashmir Awareness

    Washington, D.C.
    July 10, 2014

    On July 8, 2014, the Spokesman of Indian Ministry of External Affairs made a formal statement saying, “As far as we (India) are concerned the UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observer Group in India & Pakistan) has outlived its relevance. This is a consistent stance that we have articulated on several occasions since the Shimla accord.”

    What is the legal ground of the spokesman’s pronouncement? Christopher Hitchens has made it easy to understand when he said; “”Perhaps you notice how the denial is so often the preface to the justification.” And George R.R. Martin confirms it by saying “Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.”

    The spokesman has conveniently forgotten that India and Pakistan are signatories to various United Nations Security Council resolutions. These resolutions constitute an agreement because, unlike most resolutions of the Security Council, their provisions were first negotiated with the parties and, it was only after their written consent was obtained that they were adopted by the Security Council.

  • |

    Why does India have a hard time to accept the disputed nature of Kashmir?

    “Kashmir is an integral part of India, constitutionally, legally and morally something that is non-negotiable.” Ram Jethmalani, Outlook Magazine, October 8, 2016.

    “Let me state unequivocally that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and will always remain so.’ Sushma Swaraj September 26, 2016

    The fallacy advocated by the most celebrated Indian jurist and the Indian foreign minister deserves some clarification.

    The people of Jammu & Kashmir who number more than 129 other existing independent nations individually and have a defined historical identity, are at present engaged in a mass struggle to win freedom and release from the foreign occupation of their land. This struggle is motivated by no bigotry or ethnic prejudice; its aim is nothing but the exercise of the right of self-determination explicitly agreed by both India and Pakistan.

    To the horrors of the repression from which they suffer are added two other circumstances, each cruelly adverse. One is the apathy of the world outside, including the United States that otherwise are justly proud of their championship of democracy and human rights. The second is the fog of myths and evasive arguments, like Kashmir being an integral part of India. It is my modest attempt to help mitigate these two circumstances. My appeal is directed neither to the religious or ideological sympathies of Indian Public Square nor to their leanings towards any particular political party but solely to their conscience and human concern.

  • |

    Kashmir: Restoring the Vision

    There is something very high schoolish and unsophisticated about the barbs and threats being traded between Pakistan and India, where fully grown men given the responsibility to manage nations shout at one another like two boys in a park squabbling over some Barbie Doll standing on the sidelines, who invariably has a look of disgust on her face. Think Kashmir. Yes, there have been two wars between the two over Kashmir, but too much is at stake. The statesmanship dictates that neither of these two countries should go to war, not nuclear war, because that might prove devastating to both countries. But they’ve got to beat their chests , behaving as though they’ve got something to prove.  
  • |

    Kashmir Awareness Campaign

    The purpose of this paper is to provide you with a plan to mount an educational and  awareness campaign in support of self-determination in Jammu & Kashmir and to enlist the support of foreign embassies in your country, NGO’s (both international and national) and media (both international and national)  to persuade India and Pakistan to include Kashmiri leadership in any future dialogue that will lead to the settlement of the Kashmir dispute.

  • |

    Dr. Fai Addressed a Forum of Journalists in Washington

    WASHINGTON, D.C. June 27, 2012 (APP): Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory and has never been an integral part of India, a veteran Kashmiri leader said.

    “I want to debunk this myth created by India that Kashmir is an integral part of India —- this is a matter of historical record that India occupied the region on October 27, 1947 when the very first Indian soldier set foot on the soil of Kashmir —- the highest diplomatic forums including the United Nations and the United States have recognized the disputed nature of the region,” Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai told a forum of journalists in Springfield, Virginia.

    The Kashmiri-American activist said in the post-9/11 world, New Delhi has tried to weave a smokescreen with some unfounded myths, which seek to discredit the genuine struggle of the people. But these ploys will never be able to cover up the reality and sufferings of people in the Occupied Kashmir, he added.

    “India has failingly tried to equate Kashmiri people with terrorists — how can a people, who believe in the UN-mandated right to self-determination and then hold demonstrations to go to the UN office in Srinagar to remind the international community of its pledge, be terrorists? Terrorists don’t believe in the UN system or any other global forum.

    “Also, how can an entire population of millions be dubbed as terrorists when they hold peaceful demonstrations for their promised rights?” he questioned.

    Dr. Fai also said that India would like you to believe that Kashmir is an issue of fundamentalism. He explained that “the term fundamentalism is quite inapplicable to the Kashmiri society. One of the proud distinctions of Kashmir has been the sustained tradition of tolerance and amity between the members of different religious communities. It has a long tradition of moderation and non-violence. Its culture does not generate extremism or fundamentalism. The fact is that Kashmir conflict was never a fight between Hindus and Muslims. It was never a struggle between theocracy and secularism. Nor was it a border dispute between India and Pakistan. It has always been about the hopes and future of 17 million people of Kashmir, be they Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs or Buddhists.”