Daily Times

A successful youth conference titled “Role of the Diaspora Kashmiri Youth in the National Liberation Movement” held in Nottingham, UK was organized and hosted by the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Encouraging numbers of British born Kashmiris including the Kashmiri youth studying and working in the UK participated in the conference. The conference was attended by many Kashmiri scholars, intellectuals, academics, businessmen, professors, political leaders, civil society representatives and human rights activists.

According to the statement issued from the JKLF central information office, Liaqat Ali Lone, the President JKLF (UK) Zone, in his opening remarks as the moderator spoke about the aims and objectives of the conference while as the Zonal head of the political department Sardar Naseem Iqbal Advocate highlighted the legal status of the Jammu Kashmir issue.

According to the set format, during the first open interactive session of the youth, while presenting their views on the issue the youngsters like Khawaja Aneeq Ahmed Kukro (student of Cambridge University), Ms. Kushmala Naseem (student of Sheffield University), Sana Malik (politician Activist), Muneeb Ahmed Gilgiti, Imad Malik, Shakeel Afsar (Community Political Leader and Social Worker Birmingham), Bazal Naseem (Student University of Leicester), Ms. Saima Shahzad, Ms. Darus Rahman, Essa Meherban (Student) and Hamala Naseem (Student) asked several important questions to the leadership panel of JKLF. Prof. Raja Zafar Khan, Sabir Gul, Liaqat Ali Lone and Sardar Naseem Iqbal responded to their questions, the statement read.

According to the spokesman, in the last tributary session of the conference, the JKLF leaders paid glowing tributes to M. Maqbool Butt, late Amanullah Khan and other party stalwarts including Ashfaq Majeed Wani, Sheikh Abdul Hameed, Dr. Farooq Haidar Malik, Sardar Rashid Hasrat, Shabir A. Siddiqi, Dr. Abdul Ahad Guroo, Prof. Abdul Ahad Wani, Advocate Jaleel Andrabi, Dr. Mehrj-Ud-Din, Dr. Ashaie, Abdul Hameed Butt, Sardar Aftab Hussain, Advocate Jameel Choudhary, Abdul Khaliq Ansari (Founder Plebiscite Front) and others.

On this occasion the speakers while paying homage to martyrs of 13 July, 1931 remembered the great JKLF leaders like Afzal Jatlavi, Zafar Sharif, Lala Abdul Rahman, Haji Iqbal, Malik Sarwar, Malik Shafi, Ayub Rothore, Prof. Asim, Javaid Rashid, Malik Azhar and Malik Aslam for their unforgettable role they played for party and the freedom movement in UK, the spokesman added.

The statement read that the participants paid rich tributes to the illegally incarcerated chairman of JKLF Muhammad Yasin Malik and to other Kashmiri prisoners detained in Indian Jails for their unflinching and unwavering role and commitment they have been exhibiting, and for all the discomfort they have been going through especially during the current extremist regime in India.

The speakers in their presentations while educating the young participants about the genesis of the Kashmir issue and the sacrifices being rendered so far in the freedom struggle tried to remind them about their national responsibilities towards the liberation of their motherland, the spokesman informed.

The young Kashmiri participants while expressing their resolve to continue the freedom struggle till its logical conclusion of independence unanimously passed the following resolutions named as “Nottingham Declaration”:

– The Youth Conference made it clear that the entire and currently divided State of Jammu Kashmir is an indivisible single political entity with Kashmir Valley, Jammu, Ladakh (including Shaksgham), Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan-GB (including Aksai Chin) as its constituent parts comprising upon 84,471 sq/miles of area and near about 25 million population.

– The young participants of Kashmir Youth Conference urge upon India and Pakistan to demonstrate wisdom by resolving the long pending issue of Jammu Kashmir at earliest by making it a military free area so that as patriots and as true citizens we are able to contribute in making our motherland to prosper as a nation State.

– The Youth Conference urges the international community, especially the government of UK, to break silence and play their role in preparing a basis within P5 countries (Permanent Members of UNSC) that could pave the way for the early resolution of the issue.

– The participants of the conference while condemning the Indian act of aggression of 5 August, 2019 and the gross human rights violations committed by Indian forces in Jammu Kashmir through unabated Indian State terrorism urged Pakistan also to restore and respect basic human rights in AJK and GB including the State Subject rule.

– The participants whilst paying homage to the great legendaries of the freedom movement and the martyrs of Jammu Kashmir, paid rich tributes to all pro-freedom, men and women, Kashmiri political prisoners languishing in Indian jails for years together now.

– The conference made an earnest appeal to world human rights organizations and the world powers to help release and save the precious life of Yasin Malik who has been the worst victim of political vendetta.

– The conference condemned unleash of terror and genocide of Palestinians by Israeli forces in Gaza and demanded an immediate halt of Israeli bombing against Palestinian people. The young participants of the conference supported freedom of Palestine.