ISTANBUL: World Forum for Peace and Justice Chairman Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai has said the unresolved Kashmir dispute continues to threaten international peace and security, warning that tensions between Pakistan and India had brought the region close to nuclear confrontation as recently as May 2025.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the Ninth Annual Assam Congress in Istanbul, and citing the United Nations Charter and Security Council resolutions, Dr Fai said the conflict remained an international issue and a major impediment to the development and stability of both countries.
According to Kashmir Media Service, he said the ceasefire arranged by then US President Donald Trump had quietened the guns, but “a ceasefire is not a solution,” arguing that a durable settlement required allowing the nearly 23.5 million people of Kashmir to exercise their right to self-determination.
Dr Fai said peace in the region could not be achieved through repression. He called for the release of political prisoners, including Masarat Aalam, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Mohammad Yasin Malik and Aasiya Andrabi, saying such a step would signal a commitment to dialogue and democratic engagement.
He criticised restrictions on the press in Indian-administered Kashmir, noting the closure of the Kashmir Press Club and the harassment and travel curbs faced by journalists.
Dr Fai urged the United Nations to take a more active role in facilitating a political settlement, saying that conflicts in Kashmir had repercussions far beyond the region and demanded collective international responsibility.
In his opening remarks, Professor Melih Tanriverdi, President of the Just Defender Strategic Studies Center, said the vision of General Adnan Tanriverdi on Palestine, Kashmir and other global issues showed Turkey’s growing moral and political influence.
He said Turkey had emerged as “the true voice of peace” at the recent summit on Gaza in Egypt, adding that even former US president Donald Trump, while aiming for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, had referred to the peace policy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an example for the world.
