ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP):Speakers at a seminar held on the sidelines of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council called for self-determination to be given a central role in resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute. The seminar, titled “Pathways to Peace: Self-Determination as a Tool for Conflict Resolution,” was organized by International Action for Sustainable Peace and Development (IAPSD). Speakers said self-determination should be viewed not only as a …
UN seminar calls for self-determination to resolve Kashmir dispute
ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP):Speakers at a seminar held on the sidelines of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council called for self-determination to be given a central role in resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute.
The seminar, titled “Pathways to Peace: Self-Determination as a Tool for Conflict Resolution,” was organized by International Action for Sustainable Peace and Development (IAPSD).
Speakers said self-determination should be viewed not only as a legal principle but also as a practical means of conflict prevention, peacebuilding and reconciliation, said a press released received here on Saturday.
The panelists said the continued dispute over Kashmir and the absence of a UN-mandated plebiscite had contributed to decades of tension. They argued that failure to implement relevant UN resolutions had prolonged the conflict and affected the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The speakers also raised concerns over militarization, restrictions on civic freedoms, land issues, demographic changes and religious discrimination, saying these factors had contributed to recurring tensions between Pakistan and India.
They stressed that “conflict management” could not replace a political solution and called for a free, impartial and internationally supported process to determine the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The seminar concluded that addressing the historical background of the dispute and the political aspirations of the affected population was essential for achieving a lasting and peaceful resolution.
The event was addressed by Dr. Sajjad Khan, Director KPRI; Blerim Mustafa, Adviser to the Geneva-based Nations Institute; Advocate Parveez Shah, General Secretary of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC); and Zahid Hussain Hashmi, President of Peace Forum France.
