ISLAMABAD: AJK President Sardar Masood Khan has asserted that the UN Security Council instead of waiting for a formal request from Pakistan and the Kashmiris should take serious cognizance of the horrible situation in occupied Kashmir and avert the dangers posed by Indian hegemonic designs to peace and security of South Asia.
Addressing a conference on “unlawful annexation of occupied Kashmir, holocaust and human crisis” held here under the auspices of Pakistan House, he said that under the UN Charter, it was the responsibility of the Security Council to play its role to avert a disastrous war in the region.
The president said that India had always presented article 370 as a semblance guarantee of internal autonomy of Kashmir, but the dominating majority of Kashmiri people, Pakistan and the United Nations have never recognized this article.
“The Indian rulers had inserted this article to the Indian constitution to buy loyalties of Sheikh Abdullah and his party, but later, its real spirit was dispensed with through different amendments and presidential orders,” he said adding that under this article, the Kashmiri people were allowed to have their own constitution and flag, but the very article was abrogated on August 5 and occupied Jammu and Kashmir was practically turned into an Indian colony.
Sardar Masood Khan said that in spite of incorporation of article 370 in the Indian constitution in 1949, the international experts had considered India as an occupying and colonial power in Kashmir. “It has been clarified in the UN resolutions No 91 and 122 that the Indian Government or the Kashmir Legislative Assembly cannot take any unilateral action in relation to the future of Kashmiri people,” he added.
The AJK president maintained that India had attacked Kashmir first in 1947 and again in August 2019. “All Indian actions including turning of Jammu and Kashmir state from the occupied territory into an Indian colony as well as bifurcation of the state are not only unlawful and immoral but these are also a violation of international law, international humanitarian laws and the UN resolutions,” he underlined.
Sardar Masood Khan said that India was carrying out ethnic cleansing and committing war crimes in occupied Jammu and Kashmir in order to force the Kashmiri people to leave their native homeland. All these actions are prejudicial to international and humanitarian laws, and we will have to repeatedly knock at the doors of UN Security Council, he added.
The conference was also addressed by chairman parliamentary Kashmir committee Syed Fakhr Imam, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Member of UK Parliament Afzal Khan, Chairperson Peace and Cultural Council Mashal Malik, leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Altaf Ahmad Bhat, and Director General Pakistan House Athar Javed Rana.
Later addressing all parties solidarity Kashmir conference organized by Ulema-Mushaikh Council Pakistan, Sardar Masood Khan said that India has started the war against Pakistan, and now is the time for demonstrating a commitment to Kashmir and struggling for the survival of Pakistan, and the whole nation must rise up for that.
Referring to the role of ulema and mushaikh in motivating public opinion against the Indian actions, Sardar Masood Khan said that while abroad, he had noted that ulema were playing an important role in this regard. “I myself addressed gatherings in mosques abroad, and have urged the Muslims to help us on Kashmir issue,” he added.