“Says coordinated efforts required to counter India’s negative propaganda, stresses the need for converting AJK into a real base camp, terms government of AJK is a representative government of people living on both sides of LOC, India is benefiting its status globally, but when Kashmiri by themselves raise their voices, world will listen, no other agreement in presence of UN resolutions can affect Kashmir issue”
S.A Haidri
Muzaffarabad: Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir (PM AJK) Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan said that collective and coordinated efforts of all political parties as well as the government were essentially important to counter India’s negative propaganda against Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle for right to self-determination.
Prime Minister made these assertions while addressing a press conference here on Monday. Terming Kashmiris as the important party to the dispute PM AJK said, “Kashmiris are the main stakeholders of Kashmir dispute, when Kashmiris raise their voice in front of the world, the world will listen to them and will give importance to their voice”.
Effective immigrant contacts he said had made it (Kashmir) resonate at different levels across the world. Stressing the need for converting AJK into a real base camp of the Kashmir freedom struggle he said that government of AJK is a representative government of people living on both sides of LOC. “The world is listening to us, the condition is that we should present our case properly; under an organized strategy”, he added.
He said that the voice of oppressed Kashmiris will be presented to the world with the help of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.
Terming Pakistan as the ultimate destination of the people of Kashmir the AJK PM said that Kashmiris had decided to join Pakistan years before the partition of Indian subcontinent. “It was decided by the people of Kashmir cleared before the independence of Pakistan way back in 1944 when Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was on a visit to Kashmir”, he said.
Refering to his recent visit to EU countries he said that the sole purpose of his recent visit was to highlight Kashmir issue in the European Parliament and to expose the serious violations of human rights in Indian occupied Kashmir. “This tour was successful and our voice was heard in European countries. The strategy to unite Kashmir Diaspora on a platform has been adopted to effectively highlight the movement of Kashmir” the PM observed.
Prime Minister Raja Mohammad Farooq Haider Khan said, “After the 9/11 incident, India has been engaged in negative propaganda against the freedom movement. Developed countries have commercial interests linked to India due to a large trade market, and India is benefiting its status globally, but when the Kashmiri by themselves raise their voices, world will listen and develop pressure on India to solve the problem.”
Regarding the UN resolutions on Kashmir he said, “No other agreement in the presence of UN resolutions can affect Kashmir issue”. He said that Kashmir week was held in the European Parliament organized by the Kashmir Council Europe, its President Syed Ali Raza is playing a vital role in Europe regarding Kashmir issue. During this week, various legislators including EU members of European countries, British members of Parliament, EU officials, Diaspora and European civil society attended different events.
“Image exhibitions were held at the Brussels press club in which Indian oppression was exposed, historical importance of Kashmir, freedom movement of Kashmir, serious human rights violations by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir, Indian ceasefire violations on Line of control and implementation of unjustified rules in occupied Kashmir was highlighted”, the Prime Minister added.
He said that the goal of going to France was to highlight Kashmir issue in Europe and presenting it to the European Parliament, which was successful. Prime Minister said that he invited European countries representatives to come to Kashmir and review the situation.
He said that the project of Express way under CPEC does not separate Muzaffarabad from the road. Prime Minister also announced that the Prime Minister Secretariat has decided to establish the overseas cell. PM AJK said that there will soon be a breakthrough regarding Royalty of Mangla Dam and agreement on the Neelum Jhelum Hydro Power Project. “We have already discussed this issue with Prime Minister Pakistan”.
Raja Farooq Haider told the media representative that special meeting of Finance Division on the direction of Prime Minister Pakistan would be organized probably in two days, to meet the issue of non-development budget of Azad Kashmir and other state issues. Prime Minister said in a reply to a question asked in Press Conference that Lady Health Worker’s case would soon be settled.
“The federal government has assured to allocate budget to bring these workers on regular pay scale, the matter of financial issues of Azad Kashmir has been raised on the federal level, which will be discussed with regard to the non-development budget. There will be no compromise on real issues”, the Prime Minister reiterated.