WASHINGTON: Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, a prominent Kashmiri leader and Secretary-General of the World Kashmir Awareness Forum, has called upon the leaders at the G20 summit to address the longstanding Kashmir dispute.
He called on G20 summit leaders being gathered in New Delhi to facilitate a dialogue involving all concerned parties—India, Pakistan, and the leadership of the Kashmiri people to create a conducive environment for a democratic and peaceful resolution of the issue.
Fai emphasized that Kashmir is a political problem requiring a political solution, said a statement.
He highlighted the urgent steps needed for such a dialogue, which include international intervention to halt violence in Kashmir, demilitarization on both sides of the ceasefire line in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and the release of political prisoners, including Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Masarat Aalam, Aasia Andrabi, and Khurram Parvez.
Fai urged the G20 leadership to recognize the potential for peace in Kashmir, stressing that it can only be achieved if the people of Kashmir are allowed to assert their own identity. He suggested that if India were to hold a referendum in Kashmir, as called for by UN resolutions, it would demonstrate its commitment to democracy rather than the perception of being a persistent militaristic oppressor.
INGOs Urge G20 to Address Human Rights Violations
Fai quoted various world leaders, international officials, and academics who have drawn attention to the unresolved Kashmir dispute and the risks it poses to global peace and stability. He underscored the link between the denial of democracy and human rights in Kashmir and the proliferation of nuclear and missile capabilities.
Fai also mentioned that Amnesty International and four other international NGOs had written to G20 countries on August 24, urging India to address human rights violations in Kashmir and release detained human rights defenders and political prisoners.
