Sardar Masood Khan, Addresses American and Pakistani Media in Washington DC
Sardar Masood Khan, President AJ&K, currently on a visit to the US, briefed American and Pakistani media on the current situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir at the
Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudry was also present on the occasion.
In his remarks, the AJK President strongly condemned the continuing use of brutal and indiscriminate force by the Indian occupation forces resulting in killing and maiming of Kashmirisin the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). In this regard, he referred to the fresh wave of atrocities in which 14 Kashmiris have been martyredin four days alone.
President Khan highlighted the pattern in these atrocities:they deliberately target young innocent and unarmed Kashmiris staging peaceful protest for their right to self-determination against the long illegal and inhumane Indian occupation of Jammu & Kashmir.
He underscored that despite 70 years of unspeakable oppression,India has not been able to break their will. Likewise, India will not succeed in misleading the world community through its malicious propaganda campaign painting the just, legitimate and indigenous Kashmiri struggle for self-determination as "terrorism." If there is any element of terrorism in Kashmir, it is the Indian state terrorism. He expressed concern over India’s intransigence to engage in a dialogue on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
President Khan said that Kashmiris are heartened by the US engagement with North Korea and the possibility of rapprochement on the Korean Peninsula and stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for resolution of the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir. In this regard, he urged the US and the international community to play a constructive diplomatic role to end Indian atrocities against Kashmiris in the IOK and promote peace in the region by encouraging India to engage in a dialogue with Pakistan and the people of Kashmir.
The President said that the US is the preeminent global leader and a permanent member of the Security Council.In the past, it has played a role in moving the Kashmir issue towards resolution. Therefore, he said, we pin our hopes on Washington to help us move the Kashmir issue towards a diplomatic and political solution. “If a chronic conflict like North Korea can see a breakthrough, so can Kashmir”, he said, adding that Kashmiris aspirations for a just, democratic and lasting solution must be respected.
On behalf of the people of Kashmir, the President thanked Pakistan for its solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir. He thanked the member states of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) for its strong support for the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiris at the 45th Session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), held in Dhaka on 5-6 May 2018.
The President will be participating in community events on the Capital Hill in Washington DC and other places in Virginia, Maryland and New York to draw attention of the people and Government of the United States to the humanitarian crisis in Indian Occupied Kashmir and urge the international community to play its rightful role in promoting a just and lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
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