Ankara, 13
October 2016: Prime Minister’s Special Envoys on Jammu & Kashmir -- Mr.
Muhammad Pervez Malik and Mr. Mohsin Shah Nawaz Ranjha -- have concluded a
highly successful and productive visit to Turkey. During their stay, they apprised
the Turkish political and parliamentary leadership, media, members of civil
society, academics, think-tanks and youth representatives of the gross and
systematic violations of human rights being perpetrated by the security forces
in the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOK), while effectively projecting
Pakistan’s principled stance on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute.
The Special Envoys called on the Chairperson of the Committee on
National Defence of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Mr. Yusuf
Beyazit, and briefed him about the latest situation in the IOK. Highlighting
the ongoing atrocities, the Envoys called for a robust response from the
international community to bring an end to impunity, and the vicious cycle of
State-terrorism against the innocent Kashmiri people in IOK. Chairman Yusuf
Beyazit noted that the Kashmir issue had remained unresolved for 70 years, with
adverse implications for regional peace and stability. He stressed the
importance of addressing the humanitarian dimensions of the dispute, along with
its political aspects. He underscored the need for the earliest solution of
Kashmir dispute in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Separately, the Special Envoys met with the Chairperson of the Turkish
Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights Inquiry, Mr. Mustafa Yeneroglu, and
highlighted the scale and severity of the human rights violations being
perpetrated by the occupying forces against the innocent Kashmiris. They
expressed the hope that the relevant human rights bodies would continue to call
on the Indian government to end the gross violations of human rights forthwith
and conduct an independent inquiry to hold accountable those responsible for
these crimes. The Special Envoys, in particular, drew attention towards the use
of pellet guns by the occupation forces, permanently blinding many Kashmiris --
primarily young men and women. The Chairperson reiterated solidarity with the
Kashmiri people and assured all possible support in highlighting their plight
at all relevant forums.
Continuing their
engagements, the Special Envoys met with the Chairman of the Turkey-Pakistan Cultural
Association, Burhan Kayatürk, and thanked him for the resolute and unequivocal
support of Turkey on Pakistan’s principled position on the issue of Jammu and
Kashmir, and for highlighting the grave human rights situation in IOK. It was agreed
to further strengthen on-going Parliamentary contacts between the two sides in
this context.
The Special Envoys interacted
extensively with the Turkish media and briefed them regarding the latest situation
in IOK. The Envoys inter alia underscored
that durable peace in South Asia could not be achieved without a just and
lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security
Council resolutions, and legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
The Special Envoys
also held interaction with academics, senior journalists and youth
representatives, during which they highlighted that years of Indian oppression
had frustrated the Kashmiri youth to a boiling point, and the extrajudicial
killing of the Kashmiri youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, on 8 July 2016, had
proved to be a watershed in latest indigenous uprising against the illegal occupation.
Thousands of Kashmiris, predominantly the youth, took to the streets in massive
protests against the atrocities and continued denial of their inalienable right
to self-determination. They informed that the youth also bore the brunt of the
Indian arbitrary use of force against peaceful protestors, with 110 Kashmiris
martyred so far and more than 12,000 injured.
The Envoys thanked the
fraternal people of Turkey for their strong support for the Kashmiri people,
and expressed the hope their just and legitimate struggle for
self-determination would continue to be supported unwaveringly by their Turkish
brethren.
The Envoys also
reiterated the strong and unwavering support of the Government and people of
Pakistan for Turkey in face of all challenges. They conveyed condolences over
the loss of precious lives in the recent terrorist attacks in Turkey and also
prayed for all the martyrs including those who made the ultimate sacrifice in
defence of Turkey’s democracy during the failed coup attempt on 15 July 2016.
As a mark of solidarity, the Special Envoys visited the damaged parts of the
Turkish Parliament, which was attacked on the night of 15 July, and reaffirmed
Pakistan’s abiding support for Turkey and its democratic institutions.
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