The President of Azad Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry has strongly condemned Indian government for using Pahalgam false flag operation as a tool to portray Pakistan in negative way and malign the Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle for right to self-determination by raising the bogey of so called “cross border infiltration”. He made these remarks while addressing a special meeting of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (Azad Kashmir Chapter) at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad. Speaking on the occasion, the president said that the killing of tourists by unknown assailants was highly condemnable but the India’s reaction to the April 22nd incident, was equally condemnable, unjustified and unwarranted. “India’s response has been widely viewed as disproportionate and escalating tensions unnecessarily”, he said, adding that following the incident, the oppression in occupied Kashmir intensified with raids of hundreds of homes, arrest of more than 2000 Kashmiris, and over fifty houses demolitions with explosive devices which also shattered the neighborhood houses. He said that India cannot suppress the freedom movement of Kashmiris by unleashing atrocities and brutality, saying that India has miserably failed to subdue Kashmiris, despite using all possible means of oppression and suppression. Lauding the unprecedented sacrifices rendered by the people of Occupied Kashmir, he said, after its failure, India has now resorted to dirty war tactics to link Kashmiris’ freedom with terrorism-citing false flag operation in Pahalgam. The president urged the international community to step in and play its due role to defuse tension in the region, exert pressure on India to stop violation of human rights in occupied Kashmir and help resolve the Kashmir issue according to the will and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Barrister Sultan was of the view that India’s war rhetoric poses a serious threat, as both India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed nations. “Even a minor incident between the two could escalate into a large-scale conflict, which could endanger global peace”, he maintained. He urged influential countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to intervene, and play an active role in defusing the growing tensions in South Asia. AJK President said that India has always been trying to disrupt peace and foment trouble in Azad Kashmir. He said that Indian conspiracies aimed at portraying Pakistan and the Kashmiri people in negatively at global stage but it has backfired. “The Pahalgam incident, which India hoped would defame Pakistan and discredit the Kashmir freedom movement internationally, but it has instead brought greater global attention to the Kashmir issue”, he added. Barrister Sultan urged both Pakistan and India to initiate a meaningful and result oriented dialogue to find out a peaceful solution to the lingering Kashmir issue and sating that both countries should move forward with mutual trust and understanding so that a peaceful and just solution to this core issue can be found. The president emphasized the need for unified efforts by the political leadership of Azad Kashmir, the Hurriyat Conference, and the Kashmiri diaspora to expose India’s human rights violations to the international community. The Hurriyat delegation led by its Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi, was comprised Ms Shamim Shawl, Advocate Pervez Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed Butt, Sheikh Abdul Mateen, Imtiaz Wani, Mian Muzaffar, Sheikh Abdul Majid, Syed Gulshan, Manzoor Ahmed Dar, Adeel Mushtaq Wani. On this occasion, the Hurriyat Conference delegation briefed the President on the latest situation in occupied Kashmir after the Pahalgam incident.