MIRPUR: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Mohammad Farooq Haider Khan has called upon the international community to play their decisive role in resolving the lingering Kashmir dispute for establishing lasting peace in the region.

In his video message on the occasion of the International Kashmir Conference organised to mark the Black Day on the Indian independence day in the State’s metropolis on Sunday, he urged the international community to realise the gravity of the situation in the occupied Kashmir and play an effective role for granting the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination.

He said India had intensified the reign of terror in the occupied valley and added that genocide of Kashmiri Muslims at the hands of Indian forces was an open challenge for international community.

The prime minister said Kashmiris and Pakistanis all over the world had been observing the Indian independence day as black day every year to draw the world attention towards the illegal occupation of India over a big part of Kashmir and violation of all international principles by India.

He highly appreciated the role of overseas Kashmiris for projecting the Kashmir issue effectively at the international level and called for maintaining close contact with the international media to mobilise the world opinion to lead the current liberation movement to its logical conclusion.

He expressed the hope that sacrifices rendered by the people of occupied Kashmir would bear fruit and Kashmiris would get their internationally recognised right to ­self-determination.

The AJK prime minister appreciated the role of Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Movement of Right to Self-Determination Raja Najabat Khan and his team for highlighting the Kashmir cause effectively at the international level.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2020