Daily Times

President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir(AJK) Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry on Saturday said that the United Nations should play its due role in resolving the long-standing Kashmir issue peacefully in accordance with the UNSC resolutions.

He expressed these while talking to a well-known writer and poet, Mrs. Huma Tahir who called on him at Jammu Kashmir house in the federal metropolis.

Terming implementation of the UN resolutions as the most feasible solution to the lingering dispute, the president said that the resolutions calling for a referendum in Kashmir were still effective and applicable.Expressing his deep concern over the continued bloodshed and violence in the Indian-occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir, he said that the situation in the restive region has further worsened since the Modi government stripped the region of its special status in 2019.

“Since August 5, 2019, India has started large-scale demographic changes in Occupied Kashmir”, the president said.Barrister Chaudhry said that writers and poets can also play a better role in highlighting the issue of Kashmir.On this occasion, Mrs. Huma Tahir presented her writings on Kashmir to the President.

The president praised Mrs. Huma Tahir’s writings on Kashmir and said that her valuable contribution would go a long way to educate the young generation about the Kashmir issue and the Kashmiris’ struggle. Mrs. Huma appreciated the President for his selfless services to highlight the issue of Kashmir at the international level.On this occasion, President Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry awarded the Presidential Shield to Mrs. Huma Tahir in recognition of her writings on Kashmir.

Modi regime turned IIOJK into gigantic prison: G A Gulzar: The Vice Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, has said that Narendra Modi-led Indian government has turned illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir into a gigantic prison ahead of Hindu pilgrimage Amarnath Yatra in the name of security for the yateers.According to Kashmir Media Service, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar in a statement in Srinagar said the deployment of an additional 60000 troops will further increase the miseries of the Kashmiris who are under the constant siege since 5 August 2019.

He said the Kashmiris are not against the Yatra but deployment of more and more forces’ personnel and extension in the duration of the pilgrimage is disastrous for the already fragile environment of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “In addition to that the large inflow of people will also result in environmental pollution and melting of glaciers which may result in scarcity of water resources and drought,” he said.

Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar pointed out that the Modi regime is bringing more and more Hindus to IIOJK to intimidate the Muslim population. He said Indian forces have intensified search and cordon operations, arrest spree and other atrocities on a large scale which has created the atmosphere of fear in the entire region. The heavy deployment of forces, checking at every step and frisking have not only made the lives of ordinary people a living hell but have hampered all business and economic activities and thousands of Kashmiris have lost their livelihood, he said.

The APHC leader said India turns IIOJK into jail in the name of Yatra security whereas religious rights of Kashmiri Muslim are curbed and masques are kept under siege. He said, Kashmiri Muslims are not allowed to offer Juma and Eid prayers and there is a ban on Muharram and Eid Milad-un-Nabi (peace be upon him) processions in the occupied territory. He deplored the Indian duplicity and called upon the international community to take cognizance of the situation.

He urged the environmental experts of the world to take note of the environmental hazards associated with the large scale and extended Amarnath Yatra and save occupied Kashmir and its inhabitants from the disasters of climate change.

It is to mention here that 62 days long Amarnath Yatra will commence on 1st July 2023 and will culminate on 31st August.