‘Kashmir resolution a long struggle’

Islamabad :The peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue is going to be a long struggle requiring a lot of patience, proactive approach, innovative thinking and devising of well-coordinated, carefully planned, multidimensional strategies, aimed at attracting global attention while maintaining effective engagement of as many people, international organizations and states as possible.

This was the crux of a declaration on Kashmir issue that was signed as the conclusion of an international seminar titled ‘The Crisis in Kashmir amidst Regional and Global Dynamics’.

The event was organized in Muzaffarabad, AJ&K by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, in collaboration with Policy Research Forum (PRF), AJK and Maritime Studies Forum (MSF).

The declaration was signed by Prime Minister of AJ&K Raja Farooq Haider.

The other signatories of the document comprised Khalid Rahman, Executive President IPS, Dr Syed Muhammad Anwer, law expert and president MSF, Mansoor Qadir Dar, Acting Chairman PRFAJK, Dr Roger van Zwanenbarg, British historian and political economy scholar, Dr Yashpal Amarchand Tandon, author and political activist from the UK, Dr Akis Kalaitzidis, American scholar and author, Dr Halil Toker, Turkish scholar, Syed Iftikhar Gilani, senior journalist from IoK, Dr Fazl ul Hadi Wazeen, academic and politician from Kabul, and Farzana Yaqoob, political activist, among others.

Among the points covered in the declaration were neither, status quo nor silence are any options, though patience will have to be applied as it is going to be a long journey, a well-coordinated strategy and work plan will have to be ensured; innovative and creative ways and strategies will have to be designed to create awareness and engage as many people, institutions, regional and global organizations and countries as possible, and the indigenous character of the movement needs to be highlighted.

Also, AJK should be a model of good governance; a well-designed Movement towards achieving self-reliance is inevitable to face the challenges of hybrid war and external pressures; the indigenous character of the movement needs to be highlighted and the diaspora should be institutionalised, and research and monitoring should be done to understand Indian designs and strategies and develop ideas for countering them.