MUZAFFARABAD: (Parliament Times) Sardar Masood Khan’ President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has strongly condemned the harrowing massacre of Muslims at Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand and term it as an act of terrorism, xenophobia and racism.
“New Zealand will take years to heal its wounds. The world must agree on a strategy to fight Islamaphobia”, he wrote in a post on Twitter in his reaction on Christchurch incident where forty-nine people have been shot dead and 48 others injured during Friday prayers.
The Islamaphobia is much more pernicious and widespread than the anti-Semitism, Khan said and added that Muslims becoming targets of terrorism all over the world and now in most peaceful nations.
“It is a wakeup call for the world community to take notice of the persistent events of barbarism against Muslims in different parts of the world,” he emphasized.
The President said that Muslims are being killed in Kashmir and Palestine and they are being dubbed as terrorists, although they are fighting for their fundamental rights. He said that thoughts and prayers of people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir are with the victims and their distressed families.
Earlier talking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League women activists, President Masood said women have an important role to play in shaping the future of the nation and government will spare no effort to preserve their political, social, civil and cultural rights.
The delegation led by Uzma Shireen Advocate, President PML-N, Women Wing District Neelum and Ms Nisara Abbasi called on the President at Aiwan-e- Sadr.
The President said that no nation can achieve progress and prosperity without the active participation of women. The AJK government, he added has taken a number of measures to ensure women equality in the society, their dynamic participation in decision making and their equal participation in the development process.
“Women in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) have written a glorious chapter of the history of valour by resisting the Indian state terrorism with matchless courage and determination. The women of IOK led by Aasia Andarabi, Nahida Sufi and Fareeda Behan Jee are not only role model for our women but for all the women around the globe to fight oppression.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms Uzma Shireen and Nisara Abbasi told the President that people of the Neelum Valley are living miserable lives without means of communication as cellular phone service, internet facility and other essential facilities are not available to them
Saying that cattle rearing and animal husbandry is an exclusive domain of women in rural Kashmir and government should allocate fifty percent funds for the women in Dairy and Livestock Development Scheme.
The women delegation also demanded the construction of concrete bunkers along the girls’ schools and colleges in Indian firing hit areas of the Line of Control (LoC) and ensure availability of Gynecologists in the hospitals and rural health centres in Neelum Valley and other remote areas of Azad Kashmir.
The President assured the delegation that the government will consider their demands sympathetically and will take necessary steps to address the problems being faced by the women fraternity