ISLAMABAD: Senator retired Lt-Gen Abdul Qayyum on Monday regretted that Kashmir dispute has become a geographical dispute rather than a humanitarian issue despite the fact that Indian Prime Minister Nehru always honoured and supported the right of self- determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

He was speaking at a launching ceremony of a book titled: “Secrets of the Kashmir Valley” at Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI). The book was written by Ms Farhana Qazi.

Senator Qayyum said the people of Kashmir were being victimised through various black laws such as ‘shoot to kill’ policy is officially prevalent in Indian held Kashmir.

“Quaid-i-Azam had said that we will be supporting the cause of self-determination for all the oppressed and suppressed nations of the world, whether it is Kashmir or Palestine, whether it is Muslim or non-Muslim,” he said.

AJK Minister of Social Welfare and Women Development Ms Farzana Yaqoob said that it was always propagated by India that Pakistan’s internal and external challenges always prevented Pakistan from focusing on the Kashmir dispute.

“However, despite the false Indian claims, there are people in Indian society like Arundhati Roy, who support the Kashmiri struggle and highlight the suffering of Kashmiri women. India always claims that the Kashmiri narrative is divided, but Kashmiris always demand the right of self-determination,” she said.

Author of the book Farhana Qazi said that her aim to write the book was to give a face to the faceless and highlight the pain and sufferings of the Kashmiri women to the world.

“Kashmir has always been defined in geopolitical framework, however this book focuses on the collective effort of Kashmiris. Despite trauma and suffering there is hope in Kashmiri youth,” she said.

Former Ambassador Arif Kamal said that the book described the oral history of women from 2007-14 and appreciated the efforts made by the author in presenting the resilience and resolve of the Kashmiris through her book.

Director General (ISSI) Ambassador Masood Khan thanked Ms. Farhana Qazi for choosing the ISSI platform to launch her book which was published in India.

Her basic objective to get this book published from India was to tell the story of Kashmiri women suffering to the Indian as well as American audience.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2016