LAHORE, March 23: The Jammu and Kashmir People's Party has made it clear that it will neither allow any ruler to strike a bargain on the right of franchise of Kashmiri people nor will the Kashmiris accept a third formula for the resolution of the dispute.
"If the Kashmiris' right to self-determination is abdicated and the UN resolutions given up, it can weaken the ideological basis of Pakistan," said J&K People's Party chief organizer Sardar Khalid Ibrahim and other party leaders while speaking to the participants in 'Self-determination March' at Minar-i-Pakistan on Tuesday.
"The Kashmiris wanted the unification of Kashmir with Pakistan," said most of the speakers. Earlier, the participants were accorded a rousing welcome by various Kashmiri organizations at the Minar-i-Pakistan.
A large number of activists of the People's Party, Jamaat-i-Islami and the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front took part in the rally and chanted slogans "Kashmir bane ga Pakistan".
Sardar Ibrahim recalled that when the Pakistan Resolution was being adopted on March 23, 1940, the Qauid-i-Azam had said the people of Kashmir must have a right to determine their own fate.
Calling for a right of self-determination for Kashmiris, he feared that the way Gen Musharraf wanted to resolve the issue overlooking the UN resolutions, could put into danger the very existence of Pakistan.
"Today we resolve that the masses of Kashmir will attach themselves with the Bhutto's Pakistan," the chief organizer said. Sardar Abdul Hameed said: "The Kashmiri people are ready to sacrifice their last drop of blood for Pakistan. And no power in the world can deprive them of their right to self-determination. We will not accept any third solution."
Babar Rathore said although the government had changed its stance on Kashmir issue, the people of Pakistan were with the Kashmiris. Ijaz Kiyani said 100,000 Kashmiri Muslims had laid down their lives just for the cause that they wanted to join Pakistan.
Later, Sardar Ibrahim, Advocate Abdul Hameed, Sardar Akhtar Javed, along with other participants, paid homage to Allama Muhammad Iqbal. They offered fateha and laid a floral wreath at the tomb of the great poet. -PPI
