Khizar Hayat Abbasi,
ISLAMABAD: Sardar Masood Khan, President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has strongly condemned attacks on Kashmiris in Jammu by Hindu extremists and termed it a conspiracy to create communal tensions in order to distract world attention from the human rights abuses in the occupied territory.
Reacting over arson attacks in Gujjar Nagar and other areas of Jammu, the President said it is a matter of grave concern that Muslim Kashmiris are being targeted in Jammu and other parts of India. He said that incidents of torching business establishments, properties, vehicles and injuring people are a cause of distress for both the government and people of AJK.
“The well-planned attacks by Hindu goons is a conspiracy to terrorize the Muslims and drive them out of Jammu in an attempt to change the demography of the region”, the President said, while adding that communal forces remained active in Jammu since 1947.
Saying that India has a track record of engineering and executing Pulwama like incidents to malign Pakistan in front of the world community, the President said that India in the past had failed to prove Pakistan’s involvement in the attacks at Uri, Pathankot and Chithi Singapura.
The attacks on the homes of Muslims in Jammu by goons inciting communal violence have brought the fact to the fore that the Indian government wants to intimidate the Muslim population of the region for supporting the legitimate and unarmed liberation struggle.
“India has failed to materialize its ill-motives in the past and it is destined to fail in the future too”, President Khan said.
Meanwhile, newly appointed Chief Secretary of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Mathar Niaz Rana called on AJK President Sardar Masood Khan here at Kashmir House, Islamabad. The President felicitated Mr. Rana for assuming charge of the office of Chief Secretary and expressed his hope that the AJK administration under his dynamic leadership will play an important role for the economic development of the liberated area and welfare of the masses.
The President said development of Azad Kashmir, rule of law and promoting the culture of merit are priorities of present government along with intensifying political, diplomatic and moral support to the ongoing struggle in Occupied Kashmir for their right to self-determination.
President Masood said that it is the earnest desire of the people and the government of AJK to explore and develop local resources, promote prospects of tourism, hydel-generation and establishing industries in AJK so as to put the state on the path of self-reliance and turn it into a model state.