WASHINGTON, Jan 05 : A prominent Kashmiri scholar and an activist on Sunday called on the United Nations to give up its “criminal negligence” of
the long-standing Kashmir dispute and implement its own resolution supporting the Kashmiris’ right to decide their future through a UN-supervised plebiscite.
“A plebiscite under UN supervision is the only solution,” Dr. Imtiaz Hussain, a professor at George Washington University, said at an event marking the anniversary of the United Nations resolution of 05 January 1949 that called for a plebiscite to determine the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
But he lamented that the resolution had not been implemented, and events in its aftermath have had a lasting impact on the political and diplomatic discourse surrounding the Kashmir dispute.
“The region, surrounded by three nuclear powers, remains the most militarized zone in the world, and the potential of nuclear conflagration that could engulf almost half of the world population remain reasonably high,” Dr. Imtiaz Khan warned.
“How long can the world and especially UN continue to exhibit criminal negligence towards this protracted issue that threatens the world peace?, he asked, pointing out that India continues to unleash tyrannical measures on the people of Kashmir that goes unnoticed around the world.
“We fervently appeal to world in general and UN in particular that it should be conveyed to Indian government that their atrocities, oppressive measures and total disregard for international guarantees cannot be further tolerated,” Dr Khan said.
“It should be impressed upon them that the only choice before them is to come to negotiating table with Pakistan and genuine leadership of Kashmiri people so that an acceptable a solution to this longstanding problem is found”, he said, adding that the farcical elections conducted in the region cannot dupe international community.
Dr. Ghulam N. Mir, President, World Kashmir Awareness Forum and Chairman and Kashmiri Diaspora Coalition, said that peace in Jammu and Kashmir and along with it in entire South Asia will remain illusive and a distant dream as long as India refuses to accept its culpability in its mischievous role in defying the implementation of multiple UNSC -mandated resolutions for plebiscite.
Dr. Mir added that Kashmir is a historical entity just as India is despite its size and military might; Kashmiris have given more sacrifices for its relative size than the Indians have.
“We have had the misfortune of being in a bad neighborhood since 1947 when India invaded it. The UN should exert its power, and help Kashmir to exercise its right to a free and fair referendum.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman, World Forum for Peace & Justice said that the January 5, 1949, resolution clearly mandated that all authorities within the State of Jammu and Kashmir collaborate with the Plebiscite Administrator to guarantee the basic conditions for free and informed voting by the people of Kashmir, including protection of fundamental political rights of expression and association”
Dr. Fai added that the denial of self-determination has brought death, destruction, and devastation to the people of Kashmir. Today, Kashmir is at the brink of genocide and Kashmir has become the hell for the people of Kashmir, as reported by the New York Times.
Therefore, Dr. Fai suggested the grave situation in Kashmir demands that it could be brought to the attention of the Security Council.
“Whether this could be done successfully depends on the attitude and policies of the permanent members, but they should be left in no doubt that any failure to resolve the problem could lead to serious disorders throughout the South Asian Subcontinent and possibly to yet another war between India and Pakistan, with incalculable consequences for the whole world, since both states now have nuclear capabilities.
Sardar Zarif Khan, Advisor to the President of Azad Kashmir, said that the Kashmir issue is simply this: the people of a large territory which is not part of any existing sovereign state were assured by the entire international community represented by the United Nations that they would be enabled to decide their future by a free vote.
“Until today, ” he added, “this assurance has not been honoured.”
Sardar Shoaib Irshad, General Secretary, Kashmir American Welfare Association (KAWA) said that the people of Kashmir trust that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will bring its influence to bear on both India and Pakistan to initiate peace process with which the United Nations as well as the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be associated so as to ensure that settlement arrived at will be based on the principle of justice.
Sardar Zubair Khan, leader of KAWA appealed to Antonio Gutters, the Secretary General of the United Nations to appoint a special envoy on Kashmir who could assess the situation in Jammu & Kashmir as well as in Azad Kashmir and report back to the Security Council about its findings.
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