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Kashmir conference at PU - Political, economic stability must for Pakistan to resolve Kashmir issue: Speakers
Kashmir conference at PU - Political, economic stability must for Pakistan to resolve Kashmir issue: Speakers


LAHORE: (Thursday, February 23, 2017): Speakers at a conference on Kashmir have said that only a politically stable, economically stronger and viable Pakistan will be able to play its role in the resolution of Kashmir dispute and in helping Kashmiris to acquire their right of self determination. They concluded this in a two-day international conference on “Kashmir in Focus: Avoiding Conflict and Quest for Peace” organized by Punjab University Pakistan Study Centre. On the second day of conference, PML-N’s Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan, expert on foreign affairs Muhammad Mahdi, Huma Baqai, Prof Dr Massarat Abid, eminent experts from various parts of the country and abroad and a large number of students were present on the occasion. The event brought together national policymakers, eminent analysts, Kashmiri leadership as well as national and international scholars and writers who have been vocal in advocating the solution of the Kashmir issue as per the UN resolutions. The conference, consisted of 9 sessions, aimed at drawing international attention towards the plight of people of Indian Occupied Kashmir and also to underscore the need of the resolution of Kashmir issue for improved bilateral relations between Pakistan and India as well as for regional peace. The conference recommended that mobilization of international opinion in support of the Kashmiri cause is dependent upon Pakistan’s political stability. The speakers of the conference agreed that diplomatic efforts in this connection must be solidly based in the regional and global ground realities. The speakers pointed out that Pakistani media by daily news coverage should highlight the human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, advocate the cause of self-determination for Kashmiris, underline the importance of the resolution of Kashmir issue for Pakistan and highlight the issue by covering the interviews of Kashmiri leadership. “Since Kashmir issue is a major destabilizing factor threatening regional peace and security, UN Security Council needs to be approached with proper homework and networking in this regard. A special session of the UN General Assembly also needs to be called in order to take notice of grave security situation in the Indian controlled Valley so that substantial international pressure is exerted on New Delhi to seek a political, rather than a military solution of J&K,” they said. The conference also recommended that the UN Secretary General be approached to put the disputed territory of Jammu & Kashmir under the administration of UN Trusteeship Council for ten years so as to alleviate the plight of Kashmiris. They stressed the need for normalization of Pakistan-India relations as it was essential for lasting peace and development. They said Kashmir could not be resolved by war. The only way to peacefully resolve the issue is through political struggle which means to make more and more people stand for us till we become the winner. They said cultural values are the soul of a nation, we should follow our own soul not to Hollywood or Bollywood.