Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution organized a Webinar titled “Kashmir: A Utopian Land with Dystopian Lives”.
The webinar was part of IICR’s Exclusive Globe 2020. It covered diverse discourse on Kashmir’s past, present and future, including China-India standoff. The panelists included Yasir Rehman, Lt Gen (r) Raza Khan?, Sabah Aslam, CEO IICR, Maj Gen (r) Raza Muhammad, Chairman IICR, Ahmed Qureshi, senior journalist on security and Kashmir, and Altaf Ahmed Bhat, President Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement.
While addressing the session, Altaf Ahmed Bhat highlighted the anguish which the people of Kashmir face. He said that Kashmir is under triple lockdown: The first in 1989, then after 5, August 2019, and a third one due to Covid-19. Giving first-hand information from Indian-held Jammu & Kashmir, Bhat said that in past 310 days of lockdown, 170 youth have been martyred, 1500 people are critically injured, 995 houses are damaged/demolished, while more than 100 women are molested in fake Cordon and search operations. Bhat demanded that the government of Pakistan and PM Imran Khan announce and offer a handsome relief package to UN for besieged people of Kashmir. He said UN should ask India to allow international relief for the besieged people who are under lockdown for last 311 days.
Lt Gen (r) Raza Khan said unilateral actions by Delhi in Kashmir have put the whole region at stake and on the verge of devastation. He said that Pakistan needs to give communicative support to Kashmir through international media.
Ahmed Qureshi shed light on lags in policies of Pakistan regarding Kashmir. Maj Gen (r) Raza Muhammad shed light on how Indian society have overall changed and the United States considers it as a strategic partner always. Sabah Aslam pointed out that Pakistan’s government needs to become proactive in maneuvering working modalities rather than totally relying on its allies.
