The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) recently held a seminar to observe Youm-e-Istehsal, highlighting the ongoing challenges and human rights issues faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir following India\u2019s revocation of the region\u2019s special status on August 5, 2019. The event brought together diplomats, scholars, human rights activists, and legal experts to discuss the impact of these actions and to reaffirm support for the Kashmiri struggle.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General of ISSI, opened the seminar by describing Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir as the most militarized zone in the world. He cited an increase in human rights violations since 2019, including what he called crimes against humanity and collective punishment against entire communities. Despite efforts by Indian authorities to suppress dissent, Ambassador Mahmood said the determination of the Kashmiri people to seek self-determination remains unbroken. He accused India of seeking to alter the demographic makeup of the region\u2014a move he compared to \u201csettler-colonial\u201d strategies used elsewhere\u2014and of trying to portray the Kashmiri freedom movement as terrorism while also targeting Pakistan diplomatically.<\/p>\n
Chief Guest Ambassador Masood Khan, former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, warned that the unresolved status of Kashmir remains a dangerous flashpoint for conflict in South Asia. He pointed to recent tensions between India and Pakistan as evidence that Kashmir is central to peace and stability in the region. Ambassador Khan highlighted the role that the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora can play in raising international awareness and called for continued research and informed advocacy on the evolving situation in Kashmir. He praised Pakistan\u2019s diplomatic efforts at international forums but urged even greater engagement with global institutions.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Additional Secretary at Pakistan\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that India\u2019s demographic and political changes in Jammu and Kashmir violate international law, including the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions. He noted the imprisonment of Kashmiri political leaders and restrictions on political activity, arguing that these measures aim to stifle genuine political representation. Ambassador Siddiqui reaffirmed Pakistan\u2019s unwavering support for the Kashmiri right to self-determination and called on the global community to address alleged human rights abuses in the region.<\/p>\n
Several academics and activists also addressed the seminar. Dr. Khurram Abbas noted that India, since the events of August 5, 2019, has sought to erase Kashmiri identity through structural and cultural changes, which he argued lacked legal or moral justification. Dr. Sheikh Waleed Rasool discussed administrative efforts to disenfranchise Kashmiri Muslims, while Dr. Raja Qaiser Ahmed described India\u2019s shifting constitutional approaches and encouraged youth to engage in research to further international understanding of the issue.<\/p>\n
Speakers such as Mr. Altaf Hussain Wani and Ms. Naila Altaf Kayani emphasized the heavy toll of broken promises and international inaction on the Kashmiri population, highlighting cultural, linguistic, and civilizational suppression. They called for continued awareness-raising to resist what they see as the systematic erasure of Kashmiri identity. Mr. Muhammad Farooq Rehmani urged building on global support for the cause, while Barrister Nida Salam stated that under international law, India cannot unilaterally change Kashmir\u2019s status without a plebiscite overseen by the United Nations.<\/p>\n
The seminar concluded with a call for greater research, advocacy, and international engagement to achieve a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of its people and United Nations resolutions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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