MUZAFFARBAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider on Thursday advised Kashmiris to unite on right to self determination, instead of indulging in any premature debate on the future of the disputed Himalayan region.

In his more than an hour long speech at the swearing in of AJK Supreme Court Bar Association, Mr Haider spoke at length about a host of issues, including the role and responsibilities of the government of Pakistan and the AJK leadership in the wake of India’s Aug 5 move, fate of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as well as performance of his government.Indirectly opposing the idea of an ‘independent Kashmir,’ he said Kashmiris should learn from the Kurds who were scattered in [and suppressed by] as many as four countries.

“We [Kashmiris} are also divided among three countries, so how many of them we will fight with?” he said.

He said he did not doubt the intentions of anyone but could not help but stress upon the people of Kashmir to unite on minimum common ground - the right to self determination to be expressed through a UN sponsored plebiscite.

“Eventually, it’s the Kashmiris that have to decide their future and not India or Pakistan.”

He said it was responsibility of every Kashmiri to maintain the integrity of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, spread over 84000 sq. miles.

He said India desperately wanted Pakistan to annex GB so as to wind up the issue of Kashmir.

Listing the atrocities in occupied Kashmir, he said: “If we failed to do anything, the nation will never forgive us.”

“In fact, we will also invite the wrath of the Almighty.”

Referring to a recent presser of Ugo Astuto, European Union’s ambassador to India, he had invited EU leaders to visit AJK to see for themselves the environment here in sharp contrast to the situation in India occupied Kashmir.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2019