KARACHI: Condemning Indian atrocities against oppressed people of Kashmir, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq has demanded that the federal government scrap the Shimla accord and make efforts to dismantle fencing on the Line of Control (LoC).

“It is high time to wage jihad and send groups of jihadis [to India-held Kashmir],” he said while speaking to an impressive rally organised by his party on Sharea Faisal to express solidarity with Kashmir on Sunday.

“Now, we cannot wait any further. I request our rulers to become Tipu Sultan of today and not Mir Jaffers. It is time to hold Modi accountable for all atrocities he had committed against the Muslims living across the border,” he said.

Participants in the rally stayed in the open despite heavy rain to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir

Women and children formed a good portion of the participants, who stayed at the rally despite heavy rain.

Leaders of a number of other political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party’s Senator Raza Rabbani, also attended the rally and addressed the crowd.

High time for army ‘to be present in Srinagar’

“We have full faith in our army, which is one of the best in the world and according to the international laws Kashmiris’ fight for their freedom is totally justified. It is high time for our army to be present in Srinagar,” said the JI leader.

He added: “If we hesitated now to wage this war then we’ll have to fight battles in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad.”

He demanded that the federal government scrap the Shimla accord immediately as a first step to express its sincerity with the people of Kashmir.

He criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for making calls to world leaders instead of taking ‘sincere and effective efforts’.

On the other hand, he added, his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi “is fully awake and going everywhere”.

“This is the time for taking effective measures. From now on jihad on the basis of Facebook and twitter would no longer continue,” he said.

He called upon the government in Islamabad to make efforts to dismantle fencing on the LoC.

Besides, he demanded the comity of nations to accord recognition and representation to the legislature of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in international forums.

He expressed his displeasure with the actions being taken by the federal government to resolve the Kashmir issue, adding it was high time “to wage jihad and send groups of jihadis” to India-held Kashmir.

Trump’s mediation offer rejected

Sen Raza Rabbani said the whole nation was with the people of India-held Kashmir.

He added despite claims by the Indian authorities, a curfew was still enforced in Kashmir and more than 10,000 youth had been taken into custody by the Indian forces. “Jails in Kashmir have now no space to house more inmates.”

He criticised the rest of the world for keeping mum over the worst violations of human rights in India-held Kashmir.

“And, in these conditions, [President Donald] Trump is offering himself, or being offered by our government, to mediate this issue. How can we trust him? He is the one who offered mediation in [resolving] the conflict in Palestine and then conveniently handed the Baitul Muqaddas [Jerusalem] to Israel.

“Pakistanis don’t accept mediation by the Americans,” said Mr Rabbani.

He said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had offered talks with India, but “these negotiations should not be held until the present turmoil in Kashmir is ended to the wishes of the people of Kashmir”.

Local leaders of the Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam, Pakistan Muslim League-N and Pak Sarzameen Party also spoke.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2019