RAWALPINDI: All political parties are united over the Kashmir issue but India wants to divide Pakistan’s political parties, Mushaal Mullick, chairperson of Peace and Culture Organisation and wife of Kashmiri liberation leader Yasin Malik said, while addressing a rally moving from Islamabad to Rawalpindi Press Club.

The rally was attended by a large number of people; they walked holding placards and chanting slogans in favour of the Kashmiri people’s right to self determination and condemned the violation of human rights at the hands of the Indian army in India-held Kashmir.

Instead of holding public meetings against corruption and respect to vote, Ms Mullick said, there is dire need to pay attention to the Kashmir issue, adding, there had been many rounds of dialogue between Pakistan and India after Shimla Agreement but the United Nations resolution is what actually needs to be implemented in Kashmir.

She said India is being ruled by Hindutva and RSS while cries of innocent Kashmiris fall on deaf ears; their struggle has continued to this day and it is the duty of the world to take heed.

Kashmiri leaders want nothing but freedom and their rights promised to them by UN, she said, adding India has imprisoned most of these leaders and the international community should raise their voice to free them.

Yasin Malik, she said, is in the death cell of Tihar Jail and has not seen his own daughter for six years whereas Ali Gilani’s health condition is critical, adding, Kashmiri freedom fighters and leaders like Quaid-i-Azam are born once in a century.

Kashmiris are surrounded by 800,000 troops, she said, adding: “In Indian-held Kashmir, milad-e-pak has also been banned and we reject such bans.”

The people of Kashmir will not accept bargaining, she added.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2020