By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a Webinar organised by Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) while terming the lingering
Kashmir dispute as a threat to regional peace have urged the world community to re-double its efforts to help resolve the dispute peacefully. According to Kashmir Media Service, the webinar titled “19 July Resolution: Accession to Pakistan” held to mark 74th Accession to Pakistan Day was attended by noted human rights activists, scholars, academicians, international law experts and representatives of civil society rights organizations and political leaders Muhammad Farooq Rehmani convener APHC, Syed Arif Bahar senior columnist and Anchor, President Kashmir Campaign Global Zafar A Qureshi, President Tehreek-e-Kashmir-UK Faheem Kiani, President Kashmir Council Europe Ali Raza Syed and others. The event was moderated by the KIIR Chairman, Altaf Hussain Wani.
In his opening remarks the KIIR Chairman while highlighting the significance of the day said that 19th July was a defining moment in Kashmir’s recent history. “The adoption of the unanimous resolution demonstrated Kashmiris’ resolute and unshakable faith in Pakistan and their unwavering commitment to join the country that was yet to born,” he said.
Terming it as a landmark achievement of the Muslim Conference, Wani said, “It was on this day when Kashmiri leadership met under extra-ordinary circumstances at former AJK President Sadar Ibraheem Khan’s Aabi-Guzar residence in Srinagar and adopted the historic resolution and decided to link Kashmir’s future with state of Pakistan”. The day, he said, marks the turning point in Kashmir’s political history, which practically set a firm guideline and framework for the Kashmir’s future generations to achieve the cherished goal.
“Under the Dogra rule Kashmiris had witnessed severe restrictions; civil and political rights such as freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, the right to privacy, the right to equal treatment under the law remained severely restricted,” they said, adding that during the tumults period (Mid 1940s) Maharaja had imposed a complete ban on all political activities. “The same situation was created in 1947 by the Maharaja and his allied forces in Jammu and Kashmir as Kashmiris are facing today; No one was allowed to host the Muslim Conference convention be it a hotel park, residential flat or Shakara,” the speakers said.
