GoI, Government of Pakistan must take steps to address concerns of people of Kashmir: Mirwaiz

SRINAGAR, JUL 19 : APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that GOI should shun the approach of force towards Kashmir and instead deal with the dispute in a political manner to resolve the issue. Addressing the Friday congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid Mirwaiz said that Govt of India’s policies like the issue of highway ban, that is causing tremendous problems for people on a daily basis and is leading to a humanitarian situation is a totally anti-people and anti Kashmir move causing both physical and psychological stress among the people. Mirwaiz said that such repressive measures adopted towards the people in Kashmir add up the people’s anger against the rulers.

The Mirwaiz said that the fact remain that even  after the passage of seven decades, the Kashmir dispute continues to remain a reality  with India and Pakistan as parties to the dispute while the presence of United Nations Military Observers Group in Indian and Pakistan continues and more or less every county on the Globe calling on  India and Pakistan to address the issue. Mirwaiz said that the recent UN’s Human Rights report is also an indication of how the world sees this issue and how the world body wants to put an end to the graph of human rights violations in Kashmir and call for a political settlement to this issue. Mirwaiz suggested GoI to instead choose the path of engagement for the peaceful settlement of the lingering Kashmir dispute for the larger interests of people of entire South Asia. He said that the great inconvenience and losses incurred by both countries due to the closure of air space is an indication of what people of both countries stand to lose as a consequence of belligerence. He said  that there is a great need to move forward and create a conducive environment through CBMs that include releasing of political prisoners, youth and Hurriyat leaders booked by various agencies who are languishing  Indian prisons, and to reopen all traditional roads connecting divided parts of Kashmir that include Srinagar-Muzafarabad, Poonch-Rawlakote-Chakandabagh so that a mutual trust is built between the two nations and two sides of Kashmir. He also advocated for the release of prisoners of India and Pakistan lodged in respective jails of India and Pakistan. Mirwaiz said that GoI and Government of Pakistan must take steps to address the concerns of people of Kashmir, win their trust and move towards the final and dignified settlement of the dispute.