ISLAMABAD: Members of the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and senior political leadership of AJK from across the aisle have unanimously passed a five-point resolution urging India to reverse its illegal, unlawful and unjust annulment of Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution on Aug 5, 2019 and re-endorsed the principled stand taken by Pakistan to link any negotiation or dialogue with India with the reversal of these actions.

The statement was issued during a luncheon hosted by President Dr Arif Alvi for the acting president of AJK Anwar ul Haq, AJK Prime Minister Sardar Tanvir Ilyas, former PM of AJK, Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, members of the AJK Legislative Assembly and senior political leadership of AJK.

The resolution urges India to retract its illegal move to change the demography of IIOJK by illegally issuing domiciles to over 4,200,000 non-Kashmiris and empowering them to buy Kashmiri land and conduct businesses, to put an end to atrocities, intimidation, harassment and humiliation inflicted upon the innocent Kashmiris perpetually by the Indian Occupation Forces of over 1 million. Furthermore, it urges the international community, the United Nations and human rights organisations to play their role to implement several UN Security Council Resolutions on Kashmir and take meaningful and decisive steps towards the holding of an impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the UN to allow the Kashmiris to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination, (iv) to take notice of the draconian restrictions and curbs imposed by India to usurp media freedoms and impose a media blackout in IIOJK, and take meaningful steps for allowing the journalists and media to perform their role of providing impartial and truthful information on the prevailing grave human rights situation in IIOJK.

Alvi says Pakistani leadership, regardless of political affiliation stands united for Kashmir

Finally, the resolution calls upon the leadership of both Pakistan and India to allow cross-border hassle-free movement to allow the Kashmiris of IIOJK and AJK to meet their relatives and do business.

Speaking on the occasion, President Alvi said the government of Pakistan and the entire Pakistani leadership, irrespective of their political affiliations, were fully committed towards the Kashmir cause and would continue giving their moral, political, and diplomatic support for the inalienable right to self-determination of the Kashmiris.

“There is a clear distinction between freedom fighters and terrorists, and Kashmiri brothers and sisters were waging a just freedom struggle by all means and angles and were sacrificing their lives for the attainment of their right to self-determination,” he added.

IT promotion

Later, President Alvi, while addressing the concluding session of the Global Digital Summit organised by the CxO Digital Forum, emphasised on the need for investment in the field of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI). “Data and information are the new gold of the 21st century,” he added.

He said that the field of information technology (IT) was evolving at a rapid pace and Pakistan and its decision-makers needed to make the right decisions promptly for developing and promoting the IT sector in Pakistan. “Pakistan needs to enhance its exports for overcoming economic challenges and that the IT sector had the potential to deliver fast-paced growth in exports within a relatively short period,” he added.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of CxO Digital Forum Mr Kanwal Masroor and CEO of Meditech (United States), Michelle O’Connor, also addressed participants of the occasion.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2023