ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday said theKashmir dispute continued to cast an ominous shadow over the future ofnearly one-fifth of humanity, and without doubt, poses one of the mostserious challenges to regional and international peace and security.
He said several recent developments in South Asia had highlighted yetagain, the inherent dangers of letting the dispute remain unresolved, andunattended.
In a message to International Conference on “Kashmir Turmoil: EmergingThreats to Peace and the Role of the International Community”, being heldin Ankara on November 20-21, he said, the illegal and unilateral stepstaken by India in Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K) on August 5 had broughtthe entire region to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Fanned by a vitriolic and extremist ideology, he said, Islamophobiacontinued to grip India in its stranglehold, and was manifested in thegrowing incidents of discrimination, victimization, targeting and lynchingof Muslims.
The minorities’ rights to life, liberty and fundamental freedoms are beingheld hostage to the nefarious designs of the Hindutva ideologues, he saidand added that sadly, the entire Indian state apparatus was being used toshield and protect those who preach and practice this divisive ideology.
A systematic campaign of incitement to hatred against Muslims as well asPakistan is underway to swell the rank and file of hate mongers, he added.
Qureshi said the recent decision of the Indian Supreme Court regarding thedemolition of the historic Babri Masjid by adherents of the same ideologyonce again laid bare the reality of India’s secularism and the status ofits vulnerable minorities.
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The Foreign Minister said Pakistan was desirous of peace and stability inSouth Asia through the resolution of all outstanding disputes, inparticular the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, through dialogue and in line withthe relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Sadly, all our overtures towards peace have not only been rebuffed, butresponded to by further escalation by India, he said, adding, under thesecircumstances, the role of the international community had never been moreimportant.
Qureshi expressed gratitude to the people and the Government of theRepublic of Turkey for their principled and courageous stand on theresolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevantUN Security Council resolutions as well as for making unequivocal calls foraddressing the grave human rights and humanitarian situation in IOJ&K.
He expressed the hope that the conference would join the numerous calls ofconscience on the international community and the relevant UN institutionsto act decisively to fulfil their legal and moral obligations towards thepeople of the occupied territories.
