Khizar Hayat Abbasi,
MUZAFFARABAD: Former Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik on Sunday visited Muzaffarabad and discussed the latest situation of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir with Azad Jammu and Kashmir President, Sardar Masood Khan.
Mr. Bondevik, who visited Azad Kashmir on the invitation of President Masood had just returned from the visit of Indian Occupied Kashmir, where he met top Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Shah Gillani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at Geelani’s residence in Srinagar.
Mr. Bondevik briefed the AJK President about his visit to IOK and meeting with the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) of Indian Held Kashmir.
During his meeting with Norway’s leader, President Masood Khan said that the grim situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) requires diplomatic and political initiative by the international community to end the suffering of the Kashmiri people.
“Diplomacy can help us bridge divides and come to understanding on a just and lasting resolution on the Kashmir dispute”, AJK President said and added that UN Security Council Resolution on the Kashmir Dispute adopted under chapter 6 of the UN Charter outline the modalities for the pacific settlement of the dispute.
The President said that unsettled Kashmir dispute is a danger to regional and international peace and security and, therefore, resort to negotiation, mediation, and observation was important to break the current deadlock.
“The unresolved dispute of Jammu & Kashmir Poses a serious threat to peace and security and therefore, UN Security Council cannot leave Kashmir in the lurch. It must step forward to reactivate mechanism for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution that calls for plebiscite in Kashmir,” he emphasized.
Kashmir, he said was not just a legal dispute about territory; it is about the political destiny and future of the people of the Jammu & Kashmir.
The President Masood Khan went on to say that Pakistan and Azad Kashmir welcomed former Norwegian Prime Minister’s keen interest in the resolution of the dispute of Jammu & Kashmir and assured full support to his initiative.
“We welcome initiatives made in good faith”, he said. Norway had a long history of constructed and impartial diplomacy and we do hope that the country will play a role in the peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute too,” President Khan said and praised Mr. Bondevik for this role as peacemaker.
President Masood said that Kashmiris strongly believe that there is no military solution of Kashmir and India will have to sit across the table with Pakistan and genuine representatives of Kashmiri people to work out modalities for peaceful settlement of the dispute.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Bondevik while referring the report of the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission expressed his grave concerned over growing incidents of human rights violations in Indian Held Kashmir. He said that peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue through dialogues and other means is imperative for lasting peace and stability in the region. He expressed his wish that all the parties to the Kashmir dispute including representatives of Kashmiri people sit together to find an amicable solution to the 7 decades old conflict of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr. Bondevik also held a meeting with the representatives of All Parties Hurriyat Conference AJK Chapter and discussed matters relating to Kashmir dispute and visited Line of Control (LoC).