DNA
Islamabad; August 10: Sardar Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has urged the newly elected UN General Assembly, Mr. Volkan Bozkir, to focus on the systematic and illegal demographic changes being made in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK), excessive use of force and horrendous crimes against humanity being committed by occupation forces in the besieged territory.
President Masood Khan underlined to the President-elect UN General Assembly a sense of urgency to stop carnage and denial of all rights to the Kashmiris, during a meeting of him with Kashmiri leadership organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The AJK President said that the General Assembly is the parliament of the world. Therefore, in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter, it should proceed to stop genocide, settler colonialism and land grab in the occupied territory.
“Right now, colonization is taking place in the IOJK. All human rights, including the right to self-determination, are being crushed and war crimes are being committed with impunity in violation of international law”, he said.
Masood Khan said: “The General Assembly creates soft international law through resolutions and declarations and hard international law through treaties and conventions. This body, therefore, is the custodian of international law and is responsible for stopping human rights violations and genocide, as well as stem threats to peace and security anywhere in the world”.
“Kashmir is right now burning. It desperately needs a global fire-brigade on the ground”, President Masood Khan said.
The AJK President emphasized that the egregious violations of international law and human rights law in IOJK fall within the jurisdiction of the UN General Assembly’s plenary as well as its Third, Fourth and Sixth Committees.
The General Assembly’s leadership, in close consultation with the UN Security Council, should intercede to stop further brutalization of Kashmiris and the rapid deterioration of the situation in IOJK”, said the President.
The President also expressed the deepest gratitude of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Kashmir to Dr. Tun Mahathir Mohamad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, for his no holds barred support to the Kashmiri people during a recent event held in connection to August 5 organised by Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organization (MAPIM). He said that despite being aware of the potential backlash the statement made by the former Malaysian Prime Minister wherein he expressed no remorse over the remarks he made during his UN General Assembly address last year speaks volumes about his dedication, courage, as well as his support to the legitimate cause of the Kashmiris.
The AJK President welcomed the convening of a special meeting of the UNSC to discuss the deteriorating human rights situation in IOJK. The meeting, held on August 5 reinforces Pakistan’s stance that the Kashmir dispute is an internationally recognized conflict and resolution of the dispute would only be possible by the implementation of the UNSC resolution on Jammu and Kashmir. “It has clearly rejected the disingenuous mantra of India that Kashmir is a bilateral dispute”, he said.
President Masood said that this year August 5 was marked with utmost passion and resolve not only in Pakistan and AJK but in Europe, the Middle East, Northern America and South East Asia. He said that this siege cannot intimidate the Kashmiris and they will continue to struggle against the oppression of the India occupation forces. “It is time to muster global support for Kashmiri people who have suffered at the hands of Indians for the past seven decades”, he said
Masood Khan also paid glowing tribute to Hurriyat leader and the then Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples League, Sheikh Abdul Aziz on his martyrdom anniversary. Sheikh Abdul Aziz, said the President, was a hero of the freedom struggle and a champion of the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people. He said that the freedom struggle continues to this day because of the ultimate sacrifices of the Kashmiri leadership and common man and women alike.
“The best tribute we can pay to the legacy of Shaheed Sheikh Abdul Aziz is to forge unity in our ranks and speak and act in unison”, said Masood Khan.
