Kashmir remains unfinished agenda of partition: Speakers

KARACHI:  The Department of International Relations of the University of Karachi and the National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) co-hosted a seminar titled “Kashmir Issue: Historical, Political, and Human Rights Dimensions” at the Chinese Teachers Memorial Auditorium (formerly known as Arts Auditorium) to express national solidarity with the people of Kashmir and their cause.

Respected scholars and speakers underscored the importance of a peaceful and legitimate resolution to the conflict. They unanimously asserted that India is involved in and committed to human rights violations and illegal activities in Kashmir.

The revocation of Kashmir’s status and the abrogation of Article 370 constitute a clear violation of the Independence Act, as the Indian government abolished decades-old laws that granted a measure of autonomy to the disputed Muslim-majority region.

The chief guest and former Senator Javed Jabbar observed that despite the well-documented and analyzed nature of the Kashmir issue, there are still, in his words, ‘terrible decisions.’ According to him, deception is the root cause of the Kashmir conflict.

He outlined a four-point agenda to initiate the resolution of the conflict. First, both India and Pakistan must define the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Second, there should be devolution of power from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad and from New Delhi to Srinagar. Third, a dialogue must occur not only between India and Pakistan but also among all stakeholders, necessitating a joint mechanism for the dialogue. Lastly, he emphasized the importance of demilitarizing the Kashmir territory.

Javed Jabbar expressed concern about the BJP government led by the Hindutva ideology, considering it not only dangerous for minorities in India but also a threat to international peace and stability.

In the keynote address, Director of NIMA (K) Cdr ® Ali Abbas highlighted that Kashmir remains an unfinished agenda of Partition. He pointed out that it was India that brought the Kashmir dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. Furthermore, he emphasized that India continues to illegally occupy Kashmir for political, economic, and strategic reasons.

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