India, by sheer use of military might, has been trying to take the spirit of the Kashmiris but the spirit of Kashmiris lives on
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News / Online - 17th July, 2019) : "India, by sheer use of military might, has been trying to take the spirit of the Kashmiris but the spirit of Kashmiris lives on. This report is distinguished as it is backed by dedication and commitment to document the horrific account of torture by the Indian armed forces in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). I, for one, believe that the solution to Kashmir issue lies in the implementation of the UN resolution, which gives the people the right to decide their fate.
"This was stated by Syed Fakhar Imam, Chairman Kashmir Committee, at a roundtable discussion with reference to the report titled, "Torture: Indian State's Instrument of Control in Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir." The event was organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the participants included: Khurram Dastagir, Member Kashmir Committee; Ahmer Bilal Soofi, President RSIL; Saiyyed Abdullah Gillani, Convener APHC; Altaf Hussain Wani, Chairman KIIR; .
Ershad Mahmood, Executive Director CPDR; Ghulam Muhammad Safi, APHC Leader; Ambassador Riaz Khokhar; Ambassador Inam-ul-Haq; . Khalid Rehman, Director General IPS; Ambassador Syed Faiz Naqshbandi; Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Member Parliament and many others.Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General ISSI, welcomed all the worthy discussants and, while facilitating the exchange of views across the table, raised many important points.
He began by saying that India's heinous crimes in the IOK, documented in this report, presents a grim picture before us. He said that now, with the erstwhile OHCR report on Kashmir, its follow-up reports and this present document, we have an important agenda before us. Afterwards, Majid Mahmood, Research Associate ISSI, presented a short summary of the Indian brutalities detailed in the report.Khurram Dastagir emphasized that the three suggestions made in this report should be taken as a policy measure: formation of the formal UN commission on torture in the IOK, to pressurize India by its friends to give the UN rapporteurs' access to the IOK and to repeal the Special Armed Forces Act in the IOK.
Barrister Saif said that legal impunity for the Indian armed forces has no limit in the region and that only armed resistance could bear fruit to the freedom movement of the Kashmiris.Ahmer Bilal Soofi raised a point regarding international law that under the scope of International Law, financial support of the Kashmiri's freedom struggle is legitimate and that Pakistan as a state, should search through these options. He commended the report for furthering the legal cause of the Kashmir issue at the international front.
Syed Muhammad Gilani equated the accounts of human rights violations by India, documented in the report, to the brutalities of Changez Khan. Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman ISSI, said that the Indian attitude towards Kashmir has always been indifferent and, now, with the advent of Modi, there is no hope.He urged that major powers will have to play their role in resolving this long-festering wound of human rights. Other participants agreed to the point that there is a need to revitalize Kashmir Committee so that the fight for Kashmir can be fought smartly and wisely on legal, political and diplomatic fronts.
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Inam ul Haq said that this report is but a tip of the iceberg of the torture that is widespread in the IOK. He suggested that Pakistan should give access to the international community as we have nothing to hide. He reiterated that we must not lose sight of the fact that Pakistan is a legitimate party to the Kashmir issue according to the UN resolutions.
