The Permanent mission of Pakistan to The United Nations New York hosted a webinar on Kashmir Black Day (5th August 2023) highlighting the myth of normalcy in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir post-August 2019. The webinar was held to show solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.Ambassador Munir Akram, the permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, NewYork, moderated the Webinar and delivered opening and closing remarks.Ambassador Munir Akram greeted and welcomed honorable representatives and speakers for the virtual event on Kashmir Day. At the outset Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram highlighted the plight of the Kashmiris since the revocation of Article 370, in August 2019. The siege of the Kashmiris and the violations of their human rights continue, and the voice of the Kashmiri people continues to be silenced. The Indian Government is imposing demographic change on Jammu and Kashmir by issuing domicile permits to outsiders to change it into a Muslim minority. While Kashmiris continue to struggle, India promotes the myth of normalcy.He thanked the members of OIC, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey among others who refused to attend the G-20 meeting hosted by India in Srinagar in May which was another attempt of India to purport normalcy amidst extraordinary security.Ambassador Munir Akram highlighted the fact that after India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 human rights violation, forced abductions, killings and genderbased as well as sexual violence has hindered the freedom of expression of Kashmiri people and has exposed the hollowness of the myth of normalcy by promoting trade and tourism in the IIOJ&K which is against the International law and Security council resolutions.Ambassador Munir Akram emphasized that India is seeking to change demographic design from a Muslim majority state into a Hindu community where Muslims can be killed.He said that "Kashmir is a tragedy point where war can take place between two nuclear States Pakistan and India".Ambassador Munir Akram raised the need that the Kashmir issue should not be neglected by the International community otherwise it will bring catastrophic events between Pakistan and India.Ambassadors/ Permanent Representatives of the OIC Contact group at the UN also attended the webinar and spoke in solidarity with Kashmiris.H.E Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Wasil Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations expressed the solidarity and support for the issue and emphasized that there should be a diplomatic political solution based on a UN resolution that should entail dialogue and wisdom and avoid escalation of tension. He also stressed that the Kashmiri people’s basic rights are negatively affected.Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emphasized that India and Pakistan should follow the policy of resolution.H.E. Mr. Yashar Ambassador and Permanent representative of Azerbaijan also supports the Jammu and Kashmir issue. He quoted that there is a need for continuing efforts for a sustainable solution to the dispute. He said it's of particular importance for ensuring peace and security in the South Asian region. Azerbaijan will provide continuous support and active engagement for peace and security.OIC Ambassador to the UN Mr Hameed Opeloyeru also emphasized the fact that the Jammu and Kashmir issue is one of the oldest disputes on the agenda of Islamic corporations. He stated that the UN and OIC should visit Jammu and Kashmir to see the situation and should have valuable interaction with people.Mr Onur Ekren, Cd’a of the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN also stated that the suffering of the people of Kashmir is of great concern. He emphasized that unilateral steps violate the basic rights of Kashmir. He further stated that Turkey is advocating to restore peace with a solution through a Security Council resolution and will support and stand in solidarity with Kashmir.There were distinguished Panelists at the webinar included Dr. Imtiaz Khan from the Board of world Kashmiri Association, and a prominent Kashmiri Leader, Dr. Abdel Hamid Siyam, Professor at Rutgers University, Dr Waleed Rasool an Assistant Professor and a Director at the Institute ofMulti-track Dialogue and Diplomatic Studies, as a Head of the Advisory Board at the National Assembly-Kashmir Committee,Dr Syed Mujahid Gillani President of the Kashmir Youth Alliance,Mr Ahmed Bin Qasim a writer and a student from Indian-occupied Kashmir and son of two Kashmiri political prisoners, his father being Kashmir’s longest serving political prisoner, and youth representatives Mr. Wajid Sarwar and Ms Farukh Awais who emphasized that India should focus on bilateralism and supported that there should be economic pressure build on India that will affect India economically, politically as well as strategically and there should be strategy and policy to solve the issue.Ambassador Mr. Munir Akram, in his concluding remarks, reiterated the resolve of the Government of Pakistan that it is fully committed to the cause of self determination of Kashmir and that commitment is not going to change. Pakistan will continue its efforts, both diplomatically politically and economically, in order to promote the implementation of the Security Council resolutions calling for a free and fair plebiscite supervised by the United Nations and Pakistan. He asked the international community to consider joint action with regard to promoting a peaceful solution to the challenge of Indian occupation in Jammu and Kashmir.The Ambassador drew attention to insufficient information about the realities of the atrocities and oppression in Jammu and Kashmir, and thus the need to find ways of obtaining information and circulating it to maximum extent. He said that there is a need to press humanitarian organizations to access political prisoners, campaign for missing people from Occupied Kashmir, and communicate to the ICRC with a request for clarification on their status. Ambassador also called for OIC to set up a mechanism to prepare a compendium of violations of human rights in Occupied Kashmir and crimes that India is committing and use to establish legal support to seek redress in international courts to hold India accountable for the crimes committed. Finally, he stressed for the members of OIC to urge countries, major powers, and members of the Security Council to live up to the principles of the UN charter and mobilize OIC to achieve its rights and principles.A documentary on the Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom, produced by the Pakistan Mission, was also screened.The webinar was watched by a large number of participants.New York, 04 August 2023United Nationshttps://medium.com/@pakpress2/in-solidarity-with-kashmiris-8bc8c9c94423
https://youtu.be/a2-9JdEJhxU
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