Kashmir march calls for unity in freedom struggle
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MUZAFFARABAD: A massive gathering on Sunday called for unity among all political and religious parties on the single-point agenda — the Kashmir freedom struggle.
The march, organised by Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), unanimously adopted a declaration that stressed the need for fostering an ideological atmosphere in the base camp [a term often used for the liberated territory] to ensure the success of the ongoing freedom movement across the divide.
The people of India-held Kashmir look with hope towards this part, and it must fulfil its essential role in supporting their heroic movement, the declaration added.
The event, held at Burhan Wani Chowk, was attended by JI Pakistan emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman as the chief guest, along with AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, JI AJK emir Dr Muhammad Mushtaq, former emir Abdul Rashid Turabi, refugee leader Uzair Ghazali, and PPP’s regional secretary general and cabinet member Faisal Mumtaz Rathore.
A large number of women and young girls were among the participants, waving JI flags and holding placards inscribed with anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.
The declaration stressed upon the importance of not only military preparedness, but also countering ideological discord at India’s behest to create chaos.
To achieve this goal, the base camp must remain vigilant against any attempts to weaken the movement, it asserted, without making explicit references.
Calling for the allocation of the liberated territory’s resources towards public welfare and the Kashmir freedom struggle, while eliminating extravagance, the gathering also demanded immediate revival of mandatory National Cadet Corps (NCC) training for students to instill discipline and preparedness among them.
Expressing regret over the prolonged denial of the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination, the declaration lamented the inability of the United Nations to implement its own resolutions coupled with India’s obstinate stance had directly led to military conflict, rendering South Asia unstable and placing regional peace at the mercy of nuclear powers.
Drawing parallels with Palestine, the declaration reaffirmed that the Kashmiris, like their Palestinian brethren, were fiercely resisting illegal occupation under a right granted by international law.
The declaration demanded that war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and acts of genocide in Palestine and Kashmir be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), akin to the Nuremberg Trials.
The declaration further demanded immediate reversal of actions to establish settler colonies and alter demographic balances, release of all political prisoners, including women and children, and grant of unrestricted access for humanitarian organisations and UN observers to assess the situation first-hand.
Recognising the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as the last resort for the oppressed people of Palestine and Kashmir, the declaration called upon the forum to take decisive action in support of their causes.
Earlier, in his speech, the JI emir said that the silence of the international community, had emboldened India to commit severe atrocities in the occupied territory.
He said that those who controlled politics in the past had disappointed the people.
Kashmiris should not lose hope due to the shortcomings of the rulers. The 250 million people of Pakistan will stand shoulder to shoulder with them until the dawn of freedom. This is not a battle of geography but of ideology, he claimed.
Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2025
