PESHAWAR: The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stood firmly with their Kashmiri brethren, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan told visiting President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Masood Khan here on Thursday.

He said that People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would support every effort toward the resolution of Kashmir issue as per desires of Kashmiris.

He added that India was involved in changing the demography of occupied Kashmir through major population shift by forced emigration of Muslims to other parts of India and abroad, establishment of Hindu settlements and undertaking systematic measures for the genocide of Muslims in Kashmir.

The chief minister called on the international community and human rights organisations to compel the Indian government to stop the human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. He added that silence on their part was tantamount to being accomplice in that heinous crime.

Mahmood Khan holds meeting with AJK president to discuss areas of mutual cooperation

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had strongly advocated the cause of Kashmiris on every national and international forum including. “He is playing the role of ambassador of Kashmir cause,” he added.

The president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir appreciated the efforts of the federal government.

He said that people of Kashmir were happy to see that the leadership of Pakistan was playing an effective role in highlighting the atrocities of Indian forces and furthering resolution of Kashmir dispute as per the United Nations resolutions.

The chief minister said that aspiration of Pakistan to promote peace and development of the entire region should never be taken as its weakness.

He said that Pakistani nation, especially people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were ready to go to any extent for the freedom of Kashmir.

The meeting also discussed areas of the mutual cooperation and interest between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir including strengthening of communication routs.

Masood Khan said that the proposed project of Mansehra-Muzaffarabad-Mirpur Motorway would not only help in linking Azad Jammu and Kashmir with major routes of Pakistan but would also help in bringing people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir together.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2019