BIRMINGHAM: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Thursday said that the significance of addressing Kashmir was important in view of the dangers it poses to the whole region of South Asia.
“The just resolution of Kashmir conflict will bring peace and prosperity to the region of South Asia,” the senator said while participating in a virtual conference on Kashmir titled ‘Kashmir’s Double Lockdown and the Global Response’.
“The issue of Kashmir is a movement for self-determination inspired by a spirit for freedom and it has its legitimacy in the United Nations Security Council resolutions. The struggle remains alive and vibrant…aims at regaining the freedom and economic justice that the foreign occupation has usurped,” he added.
It is vital for the world powers not to lose sight of the true objective in determining peace in South Asia, he said, adding that the settlement of the Kashmir conflict is central to the purpose of stability and security in the region.
World Kashmir Awareness Forum President Dr Ghulam Nabi Mir said Covid-19 has devastating physical, psychological and economic impact on Kashmiri people.
He also suggested that extensive use of social media, especially webinars, videos, will become instrumental in highlighting the struggle of people of Kashmir. “And an effective outreach campaign on Kashmir dispute towards the peace-loving sections of the world community, including Indian civil society and diaspora is the need of the time.”
He said India may be ‘the largest democracy’ but its policy towards Kashmir has been uniformly brutal and deceitful. The impartial and neutral agencies of the world testify that when it comes to Kashmir, India is nothing but an occupier.
Abdul Rashid Turabi, Member, Azad Kashmir Assembly said, the self-determination of the people of Kashmir and international peace and security are inter-related.
Julie Ward, a British parliamentarian said that people of Kashmir deserve to be granted the right of self-determination. She said that she was convinced that the people of Jammu and Kashmir constitute the principle stakeholders and should be an integral component of any future peace process along with India and Pakistan.
She suggested that the Labour party head cannot change the party policy on Kashmir. Our policy has to be that world powers must intervene and bring peace to the region of South Asia and help resolve the conflict over Kashmir which is pending for the last 72 years.
Sikandar Siddique, Member of Danish Parliament, said the knowledge of the average European regarding Kashmir is insignificant. The sentiments and aspirations of the people of Kashmir are overshadowed by the commercial interests and business deals of the world powers.
