KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
While announcing the “Million-Man-March” (MMM) focusing on the “political climate of South Asia and the role of the United Nations and the United States in facilitating a lasting peace and stability in the region providing an opportunity for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute, the former prime minister of “Azad Kashmir”, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary said MMM will take place on Sunday, October 25, 2015 at 12.00pm in front of the United Nations in New York.
“It will be a joint platform of all Kashmiri American expatriates and friends of Kashmir, irrespective of their political beliefs, religious affiliations and linguistic limitations,” Barrister Sultan said.
Barrister Sultan informed the audience that the leadership of All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) from Indian-administered Kashmir would be invited to participate in the march.
“We want the United Nations and the United States to know that a political leadership exists in Jammu & Kashmir, with broad popular support, which seeks a peaceful and negotiated settlement. That leadership is APHC,” he said. “APHC is ready to negotiate the final settlement of Jammu and Kashmir with the Governments of India and Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan has shown eagerness to accept APHC as an equal partner. The only question is whether the Government of India will join them at the peace table or opt for repression over dialogue.”
Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness said the only way to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the Kashmir crisis in through dialogue and negotiations. “There can be no solution to the conflict without the participation of the leadership of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.
“The Million-Man-March will help the efforts of the Kashmiri expatriates to educate policy makers regarding the current situation in Kashmir and to focus attention on efforts to bring all parties concerned – Government of India, Government of Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership – to the negotiating table to explore all possible options to settle the dispute once and for all.”
Dr Fai reiterated that it is but a statement of fact that Jammu & Kashmir is not the integral part of any member state of the United Nations. In this regard, he said, “we appreciate the statement of Peter R. Lavoy, Special Assistant to the President Obama on South Asian Affairs who said on August 20, 2015 that ‘Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory. I think, it’s up to them to address these issues together. I expect that they probably will.’ The time has come for the world powers and in particular the United States to recognize the people of Jammu & Kashmir as the central party to the dispute.”
