MUZAFFARABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Saturday urged the international community to swing into action before human rights violations in India-held Kashmir led to a major catastrophe.

Addressing a joint session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly and the AJK Council, he cautioned: “If the situation in held Kashmir continues to deteriorate in the same manner and international organisations, including human rights watchdogs, are not allowed to review the state of affairs, it can lead to a major human disaster.’’

The session was presided over by LA Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir.

The president spoke about how the international community’s silence over Kashmir was giving India a free hand to continue its killing spree. He called for India to repeal draconian laws, ban use of lethal weapons against unarmed people, lift curfew and allow international human rights activists to review the situation in the valley.

He also called for demilitarisation of Kashmir and said that Pakistan was ready to talk to India for the purpose. Recalling that then Indian premier Jawaharlal Nehru had taken the issue of Kashmir to the United Nations, Mr Hussain said the dispute could only be resolved through a free and fair plebiscite under the world body.

“No power can keep them (Kashmiris) enslaved for a long time,” he said, adding that people living along the Line of Control had also become a constant victim of Indian aggression.

The president recalled the disastrous effect of the 2005 earthquake in AJK and was pleased to witness reconstruction and development activities in the region. He expressed the hope that federal government would continue to support the AJK government.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2016