ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that Kashmir and Palestine issues seek attention of world community and the United Nations must play its role to resolve them for world peace.
Addressing a two-day international conference on Kashmir history, culture and heritage here on Friday, he said freedom struggles cannot be suppressed by use of brute force.
He said the history of Kashmir spans over five thousand years. He said Islamic art and calligraphy is beauty of our region. He said art cannot be separated from people.
Dr Arif Alvi said holding of this conference will give the participants a glimpse of the beautiful and peaceful culture and civilization of Kashmir.
He expressed satisfaction that the Muslim Ummah stands together on the Kashmir dispute. Arif Alvi said Pakistan seeks peace and Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly gave the message of peace to India and also released the Indian pilot as a peace gesture.
He, however, regretted that the Indian side has been taken over by war hysteria after the Pulwama incident. He said Pakistan remained the moral victor in the standoff with India. He said Pakistan has successfully pushed itself out of extremism but our neighboring country India is now engulfed by it.
On the cultural heritage, the President said we must continue to preserve and promote our rich heritage including languages and music instruments. In his remarks on the occasion, President Azad Kashmir Masood Khan said Azad Kashmir is the most peaceful region of Pakistan but the Indian occupied Kashmir is in deep pain where women and children are being killed.
He pointed out that India has intensified atrocities in the occupied valley following the Pulwama incident. He said the shrines and temples in occupied Kashmir are being plundered and destroyed.
He said despite Indian atrocities, the Kashmiri people in every street and square are raising pro-Pakistan slogans. He said the world should boycott India for its gross human rights violations in the occupied territory.
He said Azad Kashmir government is actively working to revive and showcase its cultural heritage to the outside world. For this purpose, exhibitions are also being organized. Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood pointed out that there are deep cultural linkages between Pakistan and Kashmir.
He said we are mapping our cultural heritage sites with the aim to preserve and promote them. On the occasion, the message of OIC Secretary-General was also read out. He strongly condemned the Indian oppression in occupied Kashmir.
He said the violence in occupied Kashmir is also taking a heavy toll on cultural sites. He said the international community should exert utmost pressure on India for the protection of fundamental and religious rights of Kashmiri people.
He said durable peace in South Asia can only be achieved through resolution of Kashmir dispute in line with the UN Security Council resolutions.
