PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has urged United Nations to play its role effectively to stop bloodshed in India-held Kashmir and help the Kashmiris to get their basic right of self-determination.

She was addressing a seminar here on Thursday as a chief guest. The seminar organised by Peshawar Press Club to observe India’s Independence Day as black day. Provincial Minister for Information Shaukat Yousafzai and Adviser to Chief Minister Ajmal Wazir also spoke on the occasion. Officials of various departments, political workers and members of civil society organisations attended the event.

Dr Awan said that Kashmir was an unfinished agenda of the partition plan of the sub-continent that could only be completed by granting the right of self-determination to the people of the occupied valley. She expressed the hope that the Kashmir would soon be part of Pakistan.

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan terms UNSC meeting a diplomatic victory

She said that the people, who had differed with the two-nation theory of Quaid-i-Azam, would have then understood how right he was. She said that Indian ploy to change the constitutional status of occupied Kashmir intensified the clash between two ideologies.

The special assistant said that exploitation of the innocent Kashmiris continued unabated in the disputed territory. She said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech was an eye-opener in which he indicated towards India’s nefarious plan for the entire region. However, she said that PM Modi would not succeed in his evil designs.

She said that the worst kinds of atrocities were committed by Indian armed forces against the innocent Kashmiris that never happened even in Palestine. She said that the brutalities reminded the tragic incident of Karbala, the supreme sacrifices of Hazarat Imam Hussain and his companions. She said that would-be mothers were not given access to local hospitals in the occupied territory, which was strongly condemnable.

Welcoming convening of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting after five decades on Kashmir issue, Dr Awan said that it was a diplomatic victory of Pakistan. She said that Russia had also supported Pakistan’s demand. She added that civilised world was taking notice of Modi’s illegal and unilateral steps to change the special status of India-held Kashmir.

She said that the UNSC’s meeting was actually a defeat of India on its longstanding claim of Kashmir issue as its internal matter. She said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan would continue to plead the case of helpless Kashmiris at all forums to compel India to resolve the Kashmir issue as per UN Security Council resolutions.

Dr Awan said that irrespective of political affiliations, the entire nation and government were on same page to support armed forces in case of any kind of aggression. She said that armed forces were fully capable to give befitting response to the enemy.

Appreciating the journalists of Peshawar for observing Indian Independence day as black day, she said that the gesture proved that entire nation was on same page to raise Kashmir issue at all forums vigorously.

Earlier, Provincial Minister Shaukat Yousafzai said that the real face of India and Modi had been revealed to the world. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was fighting the case of Kashmiris across the world. Before taking any action against Kashmiris and Pakistan, Modi should ask his pilot Abhi Nandan as to how much professional the Pakistani army was and how much Pakistanis were sensitive towards their country, he added.

Mr Yousafzai said that it was not the time to protest so opposition should unite for Kashmir as protest would strengthen the narrative of India. He said that such protests would not stop the accountability of corrupt people.

“Our nation has defeated terrorism and in the present situation, the nation and army stand by the people of Kashmir. Our nation and army are dedicated to the spirit of faith and no nation in the world can defeat us. Modi should remember that Pakistan will respond to any aggression from India,” said the minister.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2019