Conferences were held in several cities across Europe and the United Kingdom to mark Kashmiris’ Right to Self-Determination Day.
Birmingham in the UK and Vicenza in Italy hosted conferences where Kashmiri, Pakistani and allies spoke and urged the international community to press India to hold a plebiscite in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“The UN resolutions passed on Jammu and Kashmir by the United Nations, which give Kashmiris a right to decide their future, are bedrock of the freedom movement against India,” said Fahim Kayani, President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir, UK.
He was addressing the conference, “Colonization of IIOJK and the Right to Self-determination”, in Alumrock hosted by Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, Birmingham branch. “Any attempt to damage this mandate of the UN will be fought tooth and nail,” he warned.
Kashmiris in IIOJK and around the world, besides Pakistani people and the government, observe Jan. 5 every year as “Kashmiri Right to Self-Determination Day” as this day in 1949, the UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) passed its resolution giving the Kashmiri people right to self-determination.
“The UN is the highest body which governs international rules and law-based systems and giving Kashmiris this right to decide their political future should be preserved and safeguarded,” Kayani said, pointing out that geo-political interests have taken over international rules and regulations.
He said the presence of the UN Military Observers Group in Indian and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is a fact and this reality cannot be denied that Kashmir is a disputed territory.
Mohammed Ghalib, President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir, Europe, reminded the international powers about their responsibility of implementing the UN resolutions on Kashmir.
“The non-implementation of the UN resolutions on Kashmir is a slap on the international system i.e. the UN because it shows that countries like India can do anything to hurt international peace and stability,” Ghalib told the conference.
The UN resolutions authorize the people of Kashmir to exercise the right to self-determination in a free and unfettered plebiscite to be held under the UN supervision. Other participants at the conference slammed India for non-compliance with the implementation of UN mandated right to self-determination in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ch Babar Warriach, president Tehreek-e-Kashmir, Italy, told a conference in the European nation that Kashmiris cannot be denied this universal right to self-determination. “It may be delayed but people of Kashmir will get their right to decide their future,” he added.
Urging the Italian government to use its good offices to force India to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir, Warriach said: “There cannot be double standards. The rule of law and respect to international Conventions has to be upheld by all, including India, which has to give the right to self-determination to Kashmiris.”—KMS
