WASHINGTON: A prominent Kashmiri leader urged the G20 leaders’ summit to stop ignoring the long-running Kashmir dispute and push for dialogue between all parties involved, including India, Pakistan, and the leadership of the Kashmiri people, in order to pave the way for a democratic and peaceful resolution.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary-General of the World Kashmir Awareness Forum, a Washington-based advocacy group, said in a statement at the occasion of the summit being held in New Delhi that “Kashmir is a political issue that needs a political solution.”
He said some of the immediate requirements for such a dialogue include International community’s intervention to halt violence in Kashmir immediately, demilitarization of the State of Jammu and Kashmir on both sides of the LOC and Release of all political prisoners. He specifically mentioned Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Masarat Aalam, Aasia Andrabi, and Khurram Parvez as the illegally detained leaders.
He said the G20 countries need to realize that there is still a great opportunity for peace in Kashmir, but, he made it clear, it can’t come unless the people of Kashmir are permitted to have their own identity.
In his statement, Fai cited several world leaders, key international officials, and academics drawing attention to the lingering Kashmir dispute and warning of the dangers to international peace and stability if it was left unresolved. —APP
