Two-day Int'l Parliamentary Seminar On Kashmir From Jan 5

ISLAMABAD, Jan 3 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 03rd Jan, 2017 ) : A two-day International Parliamentary Seminar on Kashmir organized by Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF), National Assembly under patronage of Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq will commence on January 5.

It is for the first time that Parliament is hosting an international evemt to delve upon the imperative issue of right of self-determination of people of Kashmir, said a press release issued here on Tuesday.

The event aims to analyze the plight of people of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) and issues regarding Indian brutalities since the rise of the new wave of self-determination after martyrdom of Burhan Wani in July 2016.

Various dignitaries comprising around 20 international member parliaments and experts from European Parliament, UK, Canada and North America, in addition to 400 national delegates comprising members Parliament of Pakistan, academia, social scientists, think tanks, international reporters and students would be the participants of the seminar.

Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan as well as the government of Azad Jammu Kashmir are collaborating with the Parliament to convene this seminar.

Ayaz Sadiq envisioned the idea for the seminar and designated Shaza Fatima Khawaja, MNA as its convener. Shaza Fatima Khawaja also serves as the General Secretary of Young Parliamentarians Forum, National Assembly.

MNA Romina Khurshid Alam, Media Coordinator of YPF, will be serving as the chief coordinator for the seminar. At the international or global level, the Kashmir dispute presented itself as a test case for the emerging international peace and security architecture under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council.

UN recognizes Kashmir as a disputed territory. In this regard, several resolutions have been passed and various observer groups have been deployed; yet the dispute continues to linger on. Since 1989, there as been blatant state terrorism on the part of 700,000 Indian troops who have killed more than 89,000 innocent men, women and children in their just struggle of self-determination.

The seminar will provide a platform to highlight three Primary aspects of the issue; firstly, solution of Kashmir is imperative as it has become a clear issue of humanitarian crisis with thousands killed with phenomenon of mass blinding, mass-graves and half-widows staring in the eyes of humanity to give them their just right of freedom.

Secondly, Kashmir is a disputed territory as per UNSC resolution and a nuclear flashpoint that remains to threaten peace and security of South Asia, the most populated region of the world. Last but not the least it is totally an indigenous and peaceful struggle of people of Indian Occupied Kashmir that the world community needs to recognize and respond to their just movement of right of self-determination.

Keeping in view the importance of the seminar, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would grace the inaugural session for the formal commencement. The seminar and its sessions have been spread over a period of two days with debates and talks on various crucial issues.

Welcome address of the opening plenary will be delivered by Shaza Fatima Khawaja, followed by the key note address by the Speaker National Assembly. A speech by Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs will then be delivered.

Prime Minister will conclude with his esteemed remarks. After the inaugural session, first plenary panel discussion would be held on the role of the United Nations and major powers in Kashmir dispute.

The session would be chaired by Sardar Masood Khan, President of AJK. The second debate would be held on Kashmir Issue: In perspective of Humanitarian Crisis to be chaired by Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting.

The third intellectually engaging panel discussion titled Pakistan-India relations: Socio-economic and Security Implications would be chaired by Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan, Prime Minister Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

The concluding session of the seminar would be addressed by Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani. This session will include the revision and consolidation of points gathered in through plenary sessions. Romina Khursheed Alam, will deliver the vote of thanks as the official conclusion of the seminar.