Kashmir Solidarity Day commemorated in Australia

Speakers highlighted human rights violations in Kashmir and stressed the need for resolution of the Kashmir dispute for the lasting peace and security in the region

To commemorate Kashmir Solidarity Day, a seminar ‘The Way Forward for Lasting Peace in South Asia’ was organised at Pakistan High Commission Canberra, Australia, on February 5.
The speakers included Senator Lee Rhiannon, Ms Zorica McCarthy, Prof Bill Malley, Australian National University Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy Head Dr Tariq Rana, Assistant Director, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization ( CSIRO) and Pakistani High Commissioner in Australia Naela Chohan.
The event had an impressive high–level attendance from Australian government, diplomats, Journalists, Scholars, intellectuals, member of Kashmir Solidarity Council and Pakistani community.
The panelists spoke of the nexus between global, regional and national security dynamics in South Asia and political changes that have occupied in recent years within the region and the way it obstructed peace and security. They highlighted human rights violations in Kashmir and stressed the need for resolution of the Kashmir dispute for the lasting peace and security in the region.
Senator Lee Rhiannon in her remarks stated that the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir were facing a humanitarian crisis that required urgent international attention. She said Kashmir should be given rights especially right to self-determination.
High Commissioner Naela Chohan in her concluding remarks thanked all the speakers, especially Senator Lee Rhiannon for taking principle stance on the human rights violation in occupied Kashmir.
She dilated upon the genesis of the Kashmir dispute, their sacrifices for exercise of right to self-determination which was promised to them by the international community, while reiterating Pakistan’s continued commitment to give its moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir. The high commissioner Chohan called for an international investigation into India’s crime in occupied Kashmir.
On the occasion, messages of the president and the prime minister of Pakistan on the Kashmir Solidarity Day were also distributed among the participants. A photo exhibition on human rights violations in Indian Held Kashmir especially chopping of braids of women by Indian forces was also jointly inaugurated by the high commissioner and Senator Lee Rhiannon.