February 08, 2007	Thursday	Muharram 19, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday were divided on President General Pervez Musharraf’s four-tier formula on Kashmir with some of them rejecting the proposal while others welcoming it as a step towards solving the lingering dispute.

Speaking at a seminar on “Kashmir issue and peace in the region” almost every speaker referred to the proposals of demilitarisation, self-rule and joint management and gave arguments for and against them.

The seminar had been organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with the special committee of parliament on Kashmir.

The AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, PML secretary general Mushahid Hussain Syed, former foreign secretary Inamul Haq, The AJK Jamat-e-Islami ameer Sardar Ijaz Afzal, APHC convenor (AJK Chapter) Syed Yousaf Nasim, member Special Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shah Abdul Aziz were amongst the speakers.

Leaders of the religious parties strongly opposed President General Pervez Musharraf’s proposals on Kashmir and called for inclusion of armed Jehadis in the dialogue process.

The speakers, however, were unanimous on the point that the UN Security Council resolutions were still relevant and had not become obsolete with the passage of time.

They called for implementation on these resolutions to allow the Kashmiris to determine their destiny through a UN supervised plebiscite.

Former Foreign Secretary and Chairman, Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, Inam-ul-Haq said the right of self-determination of the Kashmiris was enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and that the denial of this right to the Kashmiris was the fundamental issue.

He said the UNSC resolutions will remain in force till they were implemented and do not become irrelevant with the passage of time.

He said that the so-called Accession to India was fraudulent as it had not been established that the document was signed on October 26, 1947 as claimed by India.

Moreover, no UNSC resolution makes a reference to the so-called instrument of accession and only calls for a free and fair plebiscite under UN supervision.

Inamul Haq said despite various confidence building measures agreed between India and Pakistan but the oppression of the Kashmiri people did not see any sign of let-up.

Commenting on the four-tier proposals made by the President General Pervez Musharraf, Inam-ul-Haq said that they offer a step by step approach towards a just, fair and equitable settlement acceptable to the people of Kashmir.

Inam-ul-Haq said that the President had never suggested that these are or should be the only proposals for a settlement as the right to accept or reject them or any other proposals rests with the Kashmiri people because it is their future that is at stake.

Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, Prime Minister Azad Kashmir emphasised that Kashmir lives in the hearts of the people of Pakistan and that Jammu and Kashmir’s geographical, cultural, historical and ethnic contiguity, and composition of its population had made it a natural part of Pakistan.

He said that the basic aim of Indian occupation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 was not only to occupy the territory but was designed to stifle the nascent State of Pakistan.

He said that the dialogue would carry weight when the Kashmiris are also associated with it. He said that the four-point proposals by President General Pervez Musharraf, provide a lead towards an effort to settle the Kashmir dispute through negotiations. He said that Kashmiris were not against any State, however, their sole concern was the settlement of Kashmir dispute to the satisfaction of the people of the State.

The PML secretary general Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that the reliance on use of force to settle issues, whether it is Iraq, Lebanon or Afghanistan had been negative and counter-productive.

He said India had also failed to crush the freedom struggle of Kashmiri people. He said that Indian attempts to dub the Kashmiri struggle Pakistan-baked had also failed. He said that Kashmir dispute had been an impediment in India’s efforts for an international role. He pointed out that India wanted to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council but failed to do so because of its failure to resolve Kashmir issue. Similarly, its attempts to get its candidate elected as UN Secretary General, failed because of the same reason.