Kashmir: Regional and International
Dimensions Conference in Istanbul, Turkey
Dr. Mozammel Haque
Two-days Kashmir: Regional and International Dimensions
webinar Conference, organised by Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey, June
29-30, 2020.
KASHMIR: REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
DIMENSIONS CONFERENCE
Declaration
Two-days International Kashmir Webinar was organized by
Department of Urdu, Istanbul University on June 29 – 30, 2020.
The participants unanimously adopted the following
declaration at the end of the conference:
1. That there must be an early, just and durable resolution
to the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the United Nations
Security Council resolutions.
2. The United Nations Security Council had clearly
enunciated that on the basis of the agreement concluded between India and
Pakistan, “the final disposition of the state of Jammu and Kashmir will be made
in accordance with the will of the people expressed through the democratic
method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the
United Nations.”
3. The participants welcome the statement of Mr. Antonio
Guterres, the Secretary General that the position of the United Nations is to
settle the Kashmir dispute according to the United Nations Charter and available
Security Council resolutions.
4. They also welcome
the reiteration of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that “Turkey is in favor of
resolving the Kashmir issue by taking into consideration the expectations of
our Kashmiri brothers, through dialogue based on UN resolutions. Turkey will continue
to stand by justice, peace and dialogue in the resolution of the Kashmir issue
and Turkey will continue to raise its voice against the oppression.”
5. They further welcome the report of the UN High
Commissioner of Human Rights that India “fully respect the right of
self-determination of the people of Kashmir as protected under international
law.”
6. They condemn the
Indian government's recent attempts at changing the demographic status by
introducing the tendentious and politically motivated ‘Jammu and Kashmir Grant
of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020.” Its aim is to alter the
demographic character of the Muslim-majority territory at a time when the
world's attention is focused on the worst public health and economic crises of
our times because of Covid 19.
7. The participants condemn the serious crimes against
humanity committed by the Indian military and paramilitary forces in Jammu
& Kashmir. These crimes include genocide, massacres, extrajudicial
killings, reprisal killings, arbitrary detention, torture, use of rape as a
weapon of war, burning of houses, etc.
8. The participants condemned the efforts to muzzle the
press and further expressed need to restore the right to assemble and freedom
of expression.
9. They demand that the Thematic Rapporteurs on Torture and
Extrajudicial Killings and the Chairmen of the Working Group on Disappearances
and Arbitrary Detention be allowed to visit Jammu & Kashmir to ascertain
and report on gross and consistent violations of human rights there,
10. They demand the repeal of draconian laws, like, the
Indian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSAPA), Unlawful Activities Prevention
Act (UAPA), Public Safety Act (PSA), etc.
11. They demand the release of all political prisoners
languishing in jails, interrogation centers and detained under emergency laws.
12. They call on the United Nations Secretary General to
appoint a special envoy on Kashmir and initiate a process of mediation to pave
the way for the holding of a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir as laid down by
the UN Security Council resolutions.
13. They also call on the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) to renew to the Government of India its offer of sending its
fact-finding and good offices missions to Jammu and Kashmir.
The following are the guests at the Kashmir: Regional and
International Dimensions webinar.
Guests
H.E. Sardar Massod Khan, President of Azad Jammu and
Kashmir
H.E. Shibli Faraz, Senator, Federal Minister for
Information and Broadcasting, Pakistan
H.E. Ali Sahin, Member of Parliament, Chairman of
Turkey-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group.
H.E. Muhammad Syrus
Sajjad Qazi, Ambassador of Pakistan, Ankara
H.E. Lord Nazir Ahmed, Member of British House of Lords,
UK.
H.E. Bilal Khan Pasha,
Pakistan Istanbul
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai,
Secretary General of World Awareness Forum, USA
List of Speakers
List of Speakers in the international Kashmir Webinar:
Professor Dr. Halil Toker/Turkey, Chief Organiser & Head
Department of Urdu, Istanbul Universitesi
Prof. Dr. Mahmut AK Rector Istanbul University
Prof. Hayati Devoli, Dean
Hon. Ali Sahin, Member, Turkish Grand Assembly
Hon. Sardar Massod Khan, President of Azad Jammu and
Kashmir
Hon. Shibli Faraz, Senator,
Federal Minister for Information
and Broadcasting,Pakistan
Hon. Lord Nazir Ahmed, Member of British House of Lords,
UK.
Hon. Dr. Ghulam Nabi
Fai, Secretary General of World Awareness Forum, USA
Mr. Javid Sadiq,
Resident Editor in Daily Nawa-e-Waqt
Mr. Salman Khan, Founder of Kashmir Global Movement,
Chairman of the South African Kashmiri Action Group, South Africa
Dr. Imtiaz Khan, Professor at George Washington University
Medical Centre, USA
Ms. Merve Sebnem Oruc, Daily Sabah, Turkey
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Mir, President of World Kashmir awareness
Forum, USA
Hon. Bilal Khan Pasha, Consulate General of Pakistan,
Istanbul
Dr. Farooq Adil, Journalist and writer
Dr. Mubeen Shah, Former Chairman of the Kashmir Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Srinagar
Mr. Khalid Rahman, Executive President of the Institute of
Policy Studies, Islamabad
Dr. Waleed Rasool, Professor of International Islamic
University. Pakistan
Dr. Muhammad Tahir Tabassum, President, INSPAD, Pakistan
Dr. Raja Muhammad Sajjad, Chief Editor, Kashmir Today
Pakistan
Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Safi, Representative, Tehrek Party,
Azad Kashmir
Dr. Muhammet Savar Kafkasyali/Turkey
Mr. Atif Ozbey, Kanal
5, Turkey
Mr. Emra Tuna/Turkey
Mr. Ismail Bendiderya, Turkey
Dr. Zakaj Kardos, Professor, Istanbul Universitesi, Turkey
In the United Kingdom, Rt. Hon. Afzal Khan, Deputy Leader
of the House of Commons, today asked in the Topical questions on 30 June 2020:
Afzal Khan, the Labour MP for Manchester Gorton asked
through Vitual, “While the Government set out plans for easing the UK’s
lockdown, I remind the House that Kashmiris have been under lockdown for more
than 330 days. Unlike ours, their lockdown is not being lifted at any time,
with the humanitarian situation worsening each day. Will the UK Government
condemn the human rights abuses in Kashmir and call on the Indian authorities
to immediately lift the lockdown?”
Dominic Raab, the Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs replied, “I know that the hon. Gentleman follows this
issue assiduously. I have raised with the Indian Foreign Minister issues in
relation to human rights in Kashmir. We continue to regard it as a bilateral
dispute that needs to be resolved between Pakistan and India, but the issues
the hon. Gentleman has raised are important, we are concerned about them and we
do raise them with the Indian Government.”
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