Speakers at a webinar here on Tuesday highlighted the importance of establishing a comprehensive database of genuine Kashmiris from the state of Jammu and Kashmir including those living in Pakistan and abroad to thwart India’s nefarious designs of demographic change in IIOJ&K.
“This initiative (creation of database) is crucial to counter India’s ongoing efforts to engineer demographic changes in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K),” said former prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan while speaking at the virtual seminar. The seminar titled “Jammu Martyrs Day – Remembering the Massacre of Jammu Muslims: Indian Onslaught on Demography Then and Now,” was organized by the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) and moderated by its Chairman Altaf Hussain Wani. Speaking on the occasion, senior journalist Arif Bahar drew parallels between the Jammu Massacre and the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of encouraging young researchers to delve into this critical topic. Senior Kashmiri leader Shamim Shawl paid heartfelt tributes to the Kashmiri martyrs who have consistently shown unwavering determination to sacrifice their lives and property for the freedom of their homeland. Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman of the Kashmir Policy Research Institute, Dr Sajjad Khan dispelled common misconceptions among the youth of Kashmir and highlighted that the allegations leveled by sub-nationalists closely mirrored the false petition filed by India against Pakistan in the United Nations in 1948.
Renowned academician Dr Waleed Rasool in his speech discussed India’s time-gaining strategy in its transition from military occupation to annexation through the unilateral move on August 5, 2019, and explored the available options. Kashmiri journalist Dr Ashraf Wani illuminated the enduring struggle of the people of IIOJ&K for their freedom which spanned over seven decades, outlining its various phases. Human Rights campaigner from Azad Kashmir Naila Altaf Kayani shed light on the presence of Patiala forces in IIOJ&K long before the controversial accession signed between India and the Maharaja of Kashmir. Others who spoke at the webinar include Dr Saira Shah and Muhammad Shahzad Khan. This enlightening webinar attracted a diverse audience, including a significant number of students and members of civil societies, from various locations such as Tashkent, Islamabad, Karachi, and Azad Kashmir. The event served as a powerful platform for informed discussions, historical reflection, and the urgent need to address the ongoing issues faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
