Luton hosts Kashmir conference, speakers urge unity

LUTON (PNI) Kashmiri political and human rights activists on Sunday urged the global community to open their eyes and seek to halt brazen crimes in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK).

Addressing a Kashmir conference in Luton city of the United Kingdom, the speakers shed light on various massacres committed by the occupying Indian forces in IIoJK.

Referring to Kashmiri political prisoners illegally held in Indian jails, the speakers called for a wholistic campaign to highlight their plight at the UN Human Rights Council and other international organizations.

“The colonial history of IIoJK is replete with crimes against humanity committed by occupying Indian forces,” said Fahim Kayani, president Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK.

He said: “commemorating such heinous crimes is to tell India, seeing eye to eye with the fascist regime in New Delhi, that Kashmiris will never accept your hegemony nor subjugation.”

Kayani said time has come when Kashmiris “must stand steadfast and chalk out a strategy by pulling themselves out of divisions.”

Other speakers including Ch Habib ur Rehman Afaqi, Director KIRC; Lord Qurban Hussain, Nazir Ahmed Qureshi Exiled Hurriyat Leader, Muhammad Ghalib, president Tehreek-e-Kashmir Europe; Riaz Butt, former Lord Mayor; Mulana Iqbal Awan, Professor Masood Akhtar Hazarvi, Mulana Abdul Aziz Chisti , Ch Muhammad Ramzan, president TeK Luton, Ch Muhammad Sharif, Ch Zahid Iqbal, Aqdas Mughal, Malik Ejaz, Ch Yousaf , Cllr Raja Zahoor , Malik Azad Nakyalvi, Ch Ghafarat Shahid Shukat butt, Professor Imtiaz , Professor Mumtaz butt , shukat Malik and human rights activists also insisted that there was a need to speak in one voice to raise the issue of Kashmir.

“Our political prisoners are being illegally held in death cells… their lives are at risk while the fascist Modi regime is illegally overtaking their properties in IIoJK,” said Kayani, calling the situation as “alarming.”

Highlighting the importance of pressing India to release Kashmiri political prisoners including Yasin Malik , Masarat Alam Bhat, Shabir Shah,, Peer Saifullah, Dr Qasim, Asiya Andrabi, Naeem Khan, Fehmeeda Sofi, Nahida Nasreen, Kayani said: “they are our role models who stood the fact that Kashmiris will never be cowed down.”