DNA

ISLAMABAD, SEP 30 /DNA/ – The Kashmir issue is primarily a legitimate war of liberation being fought by the people of Kashmir with the support of Pakistan, a fundamental party to the conflict, for the last 75 years. It is not just a case of human rights violation, and must be highlighted as such to validate the applicability of international laws of war and Indian occupation’s actions as war crimes. For this, a common narrative and unified direction is crucial, along with the implementation of robust strategies.

These views were reflected during the 20th meeting of the Institute of Policy Studies’ Working Group on Kashmir (IPS-WGK), a body of experts and opinion leaders on Kashmir affairs that meets regularly after the illegal revocation of the special constitutional status of IIOJK by the BJP-led Delhi regime on August 5, 2019.

The session, titled ‘Assault on Kashmiri Identity and its Likely Implications’, held to discuss the Indian moves to disempower Kashmiri Muslims and their consequences, was chaired by Khalid Rahman, chairman IPS, and joined, among others, by Ghulam Muhammad Safi, veteran Kashmiri resistance leader; Ambassador (r) Syed Abrar Hussain, vice chairman IPS, Dr Idrees Abbasi, former secretary law, Azad Jammu & Kashmir; Advocate Nasir Qadri, director, Legal Forum for Kashmir (LFK); and Raja Sajjad Khan, director, Kashmir Policy Research Institute (KPRI).

The experts discussed how the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been pushed towards disempowerment, which is not just limited to the political sphere. India is attempting to systematically disempower and marginalize the Muslim majority, its culture, and its political representation. India has also targeted Urdu and Kashmiri languages, literature, and even Kashmiri cuisine, in addition to curtailing the number of Muslims in bureaucracy and electoral constituencies.

The discrepancies of the Delimitation Commission’s final report were also pointed out. It was highlighted that though the report is claimed to be based on an outdated 2011 census, it has neither considered geography nor population as the criteria for the demarcation of electoral constituencies. Moreover, it defies the principles of democracy and shows discrimination.

It was further highlighted that the Indian measures like the delimitation of constituencies have not only caused Muslim political disempowerment by increasing six seats for the Jammu (Hindu majority) division and one for the Kashmir (Muslim majority) division but also created a divide within the territory, as 16 seats have been reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) communities.

While discussing the importance of Articles 370 and 35-A, which have now been abrogated by the BJP-led regime, it was noted that the marginalization and disempowerment of Kashmiri Muslims have been a perennial motive of India. Before the scrapping of special status and the 2020 Delimitation Commission, India had been making covert attempts to bring demographic changes in the territory enshrouded in the name of shelter, industrialization, etc.

The experts warned that, before India establishes a legal justification for its illegal occupation by holding a plebiscite in Muslim disempowered Kashmir, Pakistan should timely capitalize on the international law, as Article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention prohibited the transfer of civilian population into a disputed territory. Furthermore, they called for an enhanced and prominent role for indigenous Kashmiris – the state subject card holders – to present their case to the world.

The meeting stressed that no one should be mistaken that whatever is happening in Kashmir, whether it is oppression, genocide, appropriation of land, or repression of indigenous people, is an undisputable manifestation of the Indian settler-colonial agenda and an evident violation of international law.

While denouncing the Indian settler regime, the working group emphasized that Indian steps to marginalize and eliminate the indigenous Muslim majority population of the territory are not only changing the nature of land but every other aspect of people’s lives as well. It was emphasized that Pakistan’s and Kashmiri freedom movement’s narrative should be centered around the war of liberation and not just the human rights violation case.

ISLAMABAD – Another audio of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s conversion with PTI leaders was leaked on Friday. In the recent leaked audio, three PTI leaders including Asad Umer, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Azam Khan cloud be heard talking about the American cypher with the PTI Chairman.

In the alleged audio, Imran Khan is addressing Shah Mahmood Qureshi, telling him that the three of them [Asad Umar, Azam Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi] are going to have a meeting with a foreign secretary.

Imran Khan instructed the PTI leaders to demand that they will secretly have to write the minutes of their own choice about the letter in the meeting. Azam Khan suggested to write cypher’s minutes and also keep copies of it.

Imran Khan further strictly directed in the alleged audio that they cannot take America’s name under any circumstances.

“Please don’t mention the name, it is very important for all of us that from which country the letter came from, I don’t want to hear the name from anyone,” said Imran Khan.

On which Asad Umar said that it is not a letter but a transcript of the meeting.

Imran Khan replied that, “transcript or letter of the meeting is the same thing. People could not understand the term transcript, and that’s why it is referred as letter in public gathering.”

Ali Furqan

ISLAMABAD: The central leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and former Law Minister Dr. Babar Awan has said that Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandyal should avoid giving political advice to political parties.

In a special interview given to VOA’s Ali Furqan in Islamabad, he said that ‘political decisions are not made by courts but by political parties.’

Babar Awan said, “At present, Imran Khan is leading Pakistan’s biggest political struggle and his party has the right to take the decisions in this regard.”

He said this while replying a question regarding  PTI’s demand for investigations on cipher by Supreme Court, while the Chief Justice had asked PTI to go back to the Parliament and play its role, Babar Awan said that he thanks Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial for this advice, but political decisions are not made by courts, but by political parties.

It should be noted that Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial while addressing a conference last week said that Tehreek-e-Insaf should go to the Parliament and play its role by withdrawing their resignations.

PTI central leader has also rejected the investigation conducted by the government on cipher and demanded that the matter should be investigated by the Supreme Court.

He said that PTI would think of returning to the National Assembly only if the bench composed of the judges of the supreme court is constituted for investigation of the cipher.

However, at the same time, baber suggested that that PTI should not return to the current assembly as it would be better to go to the assembly with a fresh mandate after new elections.

On a question regarding delay in long march despite Imran Khan’s announcement, Babar Awan said that it depends on party’s political strategy to decide time to announce a decision.

He said that the long march under the leadership of Imran Khan is not too late as  it is being continuously consulted with the top leadership and decisions have been taken in this regard.

Talking about the disclosure of the leaked audio of Imran Khan in the context of foreign conspiracy, he said that the cipher was proved as a fact by the leaked audio.

Babar Awan said that there is nothing in Imran Khan’s audio leak that contradicts our position, but it is an additional proof that our government was overthrown through a conspiracy.

PTI chief’s legal advisor Babar Awan claimed that there is no threat to Imran Khan from the current legal and police cases.

He said Imran Khan’s legal problems have been resolved and serious cases filed against him are dismissed by the court or he is on protection bail.

He said that the government’s aim of registering cases against Imran was to arrest him, but they could not get the required evidence in this regard.

ISLAMABAD, SEP 30 /DNA/ – The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has opened an ASEAN Facilitation Desk to facilitate the business community in exploring opportunities of trade, exports, business and investment with ASEAN countries. H.E. Nguyen Tien Phong Ambassador of Vietnam to Pakistan and Chairman ASEAN Committee in Islamabad inaugurated the ASEAN Desk as Chief Guest. H.E. Adam M. Tugio Ambassador of Indonesia, H.E. Chakkrid Krachaiwong Ambassador of Thailand, H.E. Win Myint Ambassador of Myanmar, Deddy Faisal Bin Ahmad Salleh Deputy Head of Mission of Malaysia and Abdul Mubdi Osman Deputy Head of Mission of Brunei Darussalam were also present at the occasion.

Speaking at the occasion, H.E. Nguyen Tien Phong, Ambassador of Vietnam to Pakistan and Chairman ASEAN Committee in Islamabad congratulated ICCI for opening ASEAN Desk as it would play a positive role to improve trade and investment relations between Pakistan and ASEAN countries. He said that Pakistan and ASEAN have huge potential to increase trade ties that should be realized to achieve economic benefits.

 H.E. Adam M. Tugio Ambassador of Indonesia said that the business community of Pakistan should focus on ASEAN countries for trade and exports as it was a huge market for business and investment activities. He said that ASEAN missions in Pakistan would help them in exploring new avenues of trade promotion with ASEAN Region.

The diplomats of Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam also spoke at the occasion and said that ASEAN was a very promising region for business relations and urged that the Pakistani business community should capitalize on these opportunities.

Muhammad Shakeel Munir, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry briefed the ASEAN countries diplomats about the purpose of opening ASEAN Facilitation Desk at ICCI. He said that the Desk would provide business related information to the business community and help them in promoting trade and economic relations with ASEAN market.

Jamshaid Akhtar Sheikh Senior Vice President, Muhammad Faheem Khan Vice President ICCI, Zafar Bakhtawari former President and others also spoke at the occasion. They stressed the need of direct flights of all ASEAN countries with Pakistan that would help in promoting trade, tourism, people to people contacts, business and investment relations between Pakistan and ASEAN region.