Major political parties of Pakistan asked for an autonomous commission to examine the so-called Indian atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir. India has consistently accused Pakistan of creating unrest in the Kashmir Valley.
A joint declaration issued at the end of All Parties Kashmir Conference said peace in the region was not possible without resolving the Kashmir issue. The conference called for revealing human rights violations being committed by the so-called secular state (India) for more than six decades.
The joint declaration condemned Indian barbarism in occupied Kashmir. It called on the government of Pakistan to prepare an effective foreign policy to resolve the long-standing issue of Kashmir in the light of resolutions passed by the UN Security Council as per the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Addressing at the conference, former president Asif Ali Zardari said that the sacrifices of the Kashmiris for their right to self-determination could not be ignored. He hoped that soon Kashmir would be a part of Pakistan.
“Despite having political differences, all political and religious parties are on the same page when it comes to the Kashmir issue,” Zardari said. He added that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had always supported Kashmiris’ struggle for their right to self-determination.
The PPP co-chairman said that the Pakistani political parties had always set aside their differences and came together for the Kashmiri cause. “Kashmir is in our DNA. It is an integral part of the Pakistani identity and we will never let Kashmir be separated from us,” he said.
The former president warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to realise that Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir issue was not limited to any government’s policy. “The Pakistani nation is one when it comes to the Kashmir cause and it will never abandon the people of Kashmir.”
He stated that Pakistan’s efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue were dealt serious blows during times of military dictatorships, but stressed that Pakistan’s younger generations would pursue the matter till a fair resolution was achieved.
On the occasion, he also pledged to address various issues facing Pakistan’s news industry. He urged the media to support the opposition’s attempts to overthrow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. “If the media supports, the opposition will remove the PTI-led government,” he said.
President Azad and Jammu Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan said that Kashmir issue had become a trilateral issue rather bilateral, involving Pakistan, Kashmir and India. “The issue should be resolved sagaciously as Pakistan faced numerous challenges due to Kashmir occupation,” he said.
AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider underlined the need for resolving the issue through dialogue and stressed the need for adopting a wise approach. “Our opponent is strong and cannot be trusted.” He said India was backed by some powerful international players to destroy regional peace.
Opposition Leader in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq urged the international media to play its role as the Kashmir issue had already been raised at every forum. He called for concerted efforts to strengthen the Kashmiris cause. He added that Indian aggression against the innocent Kashmiris went against the norms of the modern world.
Information Technology Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the cruelties of Indian forces in Kashmir had exposed India’s claim of being a secular state. He added that the freedom movement in Kashmir had gained momentum after Burhan Wani’s martyrdom.
The conference was also attended by Jamiat Ulema-e- Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Jammat-e-Islami General Secretary Liaquat Baloch, Allama Sajid Naqvi and others.
