Ghulam Muhammad Safi

Kashmir is a political dispute basically. But some people think that it is only the dispute of human rights violations by the Indian security forces in the Occupied Indian Kashmir. The “human tragedy” is one dimension of the dispute, said Ghulam Muhammad Safi a representative of the Kashmiri people and convener of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir.

Safi was visiting Saudi Arabia on the invitation of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to attend the 3rd consecutive photo exhibition and seminar entitled “Human Rights Violations Committed in the Indian Occupied Kashmir” jointly organized by Pakistan Consulate General and OIC at the Secretariat of OIC to mark 68th Kashmir Black Day.

In an interview with Saudi Gazette after the event, Safi said human rights violations by Indian forces and detention of the Kashmiri leaders are to stop people from coming out and suppress Kashmiri Muslims from their legitimate struggle and fundamental right of self-determination. He said the issue could only be resolved by giving them their internationally recognized right to self-determination.

On demanding the right of self-determination for more than six decades, Indian forces, tortured, killed and kidnapped thousands of men and women. Now a new terminology is being used for thousands of widows called “Half Widows” because they do not know their husbands whereabouts. Either they are killed, disappeared or kidnapped, said Safi.

He said in 2013 after taking over as prime minister of Pakistan, Mohammed Nawaz Sharif came to Muzaffarabad and met with the leaders of Azad Kashmir. He asked for ways to work out a peaceful settlement to Kashmir depute.

Then the Kashmiri leaders, including myself, suggested to Sharif to form a comprehensive “state” policy on Kashmir in the lines of United Nation (UN) Charter and the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, further the policy should be unchanged after the approval of parliament and Cabinet. There should be consistency in policy, and nobody should change it once it’s approved, said Safi.

India has consistency in their policy. Therefore, they claimed occupied Kashmir as integral part of India. The state of Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and it is not an integral part of India, he said.

Safi expressed his gratitude to the chief of Army staff (COAS) Gen. Raheel Sharif’s statement that Kashmir is an ‘unfinished agenda of Partition’ and needs to be solved as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Baramulla-born Kashmir leader Safi, reminded that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah believed Kashmir should be part of Islamic Pakistan on account of its Muslim Identity. He said our leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, called for a Million March to prove Kashmir was a political dispute.

He urged for the inclusion of the global issue like climate changes in Pakistan’s policy on Kashmir to internationalize Kashmir dispute. He also urged to support and highlight the voices, which are arising from inside the India against the violation of human rights in Indian Kashmir.

He said when 68 years ago when India invaded Jammu and Kashmir and deployed its troops there India announced that its forces would help restore normalcy in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and allow the people to exercise their right of self-determination in accordance with their freely expressed will, unhindered by any threat of internal disorder or external aggression. But later India backed of from its promises.

He said due to Modi’s policy India is losing its grip in Jammu and Kashmir. The removal of Article 370 from Indian constitution will boost the freedom movement in the valley against occupation. It is also supporting to increase the vision of Quaid-e-Azam of “Two Nation Theory” as well inside India too, he added.

He said Kashmir dispute is not only integral for the security of Pakistan it is also a threat for the security of both countries and whole region. He asked UN and OIC to play more constructive role in the Kashmir dispute.

He expressed his satisfaction on the national sprit of youth of Kashmir and said the future of the movement for freedom is very bright.

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