Daily Times

MUZAFFARABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Saturday called upon the international community to take serious notice of atrocities in the disputed state of Jammu Kashmir and play its role for the resolution of decades-old issue to avoid any human catastrophe in the region.

Addressing a joint sitting of the Kashmir Council and the Legislative Assembly, he expressed hope that the world would wake up and play its role keeping in mind the unprecedented sacrifices of Kashmiri people. “The aggressor feels free to continue violating human rights and perpetrate atrocities because the international conscience is silent. But I hope that it will wake up now and back the unprecedented freedom movement of Kashmiri people,” he said.

“When people from all walks of life of any nation rise against occupation, like those of Jammu Kashmir, no power can deprive them of its freedom and I hope that freedom is not far from the Kashmiri people,” he added. He said that it was an honour for him to step on the land of a nation having a history of unprecedented struggle for their freedom and paid rich tribute to martyrs including Burhan Wani and others.

“The people of Kashmir are facing Indian tanks with stones, elders are witnessing deaths of their children, mothers are mourning the bloodshed of their sons and women are facing molestation,” he said and saluted the Kashmiri people for their sacrifices. He said that the blood of young Burhan Wani had taken the freedom struggle into a new phase where the international conscience could remain no more indifferent.

Mamnoon demanded of the Indian government to repeal all draconian laws, ban the use of lethal weapons against masses, lifting of the longest curfew and allowing human rights’ activists and observers to enter the disputed state. He also demanded demilitarization of Kashmir, saying Pakistan was ready to talk to India for the purpose but pointed out that barbarism and negotiations could not go together.

The president said that the solution of the conflict could only be possible through a free and fair plebiscite under United Nations (UN) and recalled that first Indian prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru himself had taken the issue to UN. He also acknowledged the problems and sacrifices of the people living alongside the Line of Control (LoC) and said their lives were a sole example in the world history and that those brave people would not be left alone.

He said that Pakistani and Kashmiri people were bonded with historical, religious and geographical relations and these strong relations cannot be forgotten. “Support of Kashmir freedom struggle is part of our belief and honour. Neither we can forget the sanctity of Hazrat Bal nor can we ignore the sacrifices of people of Jammu Kashmir,” the president said.

He also said that Pakistan and its people would continue to support the Kashmiri movement. He also recounted the destruction caused by October 2005 earthquake in Azad Jammu Kashmir and expressed his pleasure over reconstruction and development of the area, saying that the federal government would continue its generous support to the Kashmiri government.