Saqib Ali Haidri
Muzaffarabad: The President of AJK, Sardar Masood Khan has said that India had intensified its malicious efforts to change demographic composition of the India occupied Kashmir and to alter the quasi-autonomous status of the IOK.
The AJK president said this while talking to media men at Central Press Club in Muzaffarabad on Friday. Speaking on the occasion Sardar Masood Ahmed Khan said that the valiant people of occupied Kashmir were determined to frustrate Indian designs intended to convert Muslim majority state into minority. The AJK President denounced the construction of the illegal settlements for the Pandits and former military personals. This too, he said, was a way to alter the demographic realities of Kashmir.
Referring to Kashmiris’ valor and passion to liberate their motherland from Indian clutches he said despite India’s escalating aggression in IOK and its killing spree across the LOC of civilians, Kashmiris have given a loud and clear message to India and to the international community that they would continue their freedom struggle to attain their inalienable right to self- determination.
He was of the view that there were three ground realities in regard to Kashmir “strong resolve of the Kashmiri people to win freedom from the Indian Occupation; India’s unrelenting repression in IOK; and the studied silence of the international community on gross and egregious violations of the human rights in the Occupied Kashmirâ€.
Condemning massive crackdown on pro-freedom leaders by Indian authorities he said that Hurriyat leaders have been put under house whereas a number of Hurriyat activists and top rank leaders who have been detained under the garb black laws were facing tortures and imprisonments.
“The people of Azad Kashmir liberated the Azad territory by laying down their lives in an armed struggle against the forces of Maharaja and India in 1947-48. The people of IOK have been sacrificing their lives in quest of freedom for the last 70 years. This struggle will go on, along with moral and diplomatic campaign by Pakistanis and Kashmiris, until India ceases its repression and vacates the territoryâ€, the President said.
Masood Khan while expressing solidarity with cross-LoC firing victims said,” I express my heartfelt sympathies with the families living near Line of Control who bear the losses of their land, houses, and moreover the lives of their beloved ones”.
President Masood Khan condemned ethnic cleansing of Muslims and Myanmar and called on UNSC, the Human Rights Council to impose sanctions against those committing acts of genocide against Muslims in Burma. “Action in the form of sanction should be imposed against those responsible for these horrendous crimesâ€, he said.
The President said that the AJK Govt’s economic development projects are on track and swift progress was expected in sectors of roads, hydropower generation, high quality education, health, tourism, industry, agriculture and telecommunications.
“Azad Kashmir’s firm linkage with the CPEC is a historic watershed. Two hydropower projects, an industrial zone and a modern expressway under the CPEC will transform the economic landscape of AJKâ€, the President said.
The President said that determined efforts are being made to promote a culture of accountability, transparency and rule of law in the Azad State. The Judiciary was taking steps to ensure quick disposal of cases and in universities meritocracy was being promoted.
“Muslims around the globe are discriminated; Muslims right from Burma to Morocco should unite and should devise a strategy to ensure safety of Muslimsâ€, the president said adding that Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) which is the second largest organization after UN should also play its role in this regard. President also appreciated the efforts of Youth in different fields of life and said that he will soon have a sitting with young journalists of town in the Presidency.