QASHINGTON, Jan 31 (APP): Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, chairman of the World forum for Peace & Justice, has mourned the passing of President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, saying he always underscored that South Asian peace was not be possible without resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people
Barrister Chaudhry, 71, passed away in Islamabad after a protracted illness.
“Barrister Sahib was a politician of rare and unique qualities,” Dr. Fai said in a statement released on Saturday.
“One of his most distinctive qualities was his strong commitment to international engagement. He frequently visited Washington, London, Brussels, and Oslo. He was perhaps the only leader from Azad Kashmir who consistently ensured that his appointments with the US State Department and the UN Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs were confirmed even before departing from Islamabad.”
Barrister Sultan Mehmood, he said, was also the only political leader from Azad Kashmir who visited Indian-occupied Kashmir and met with the entire Hurriyat leadership, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. He also held a detailed meeting with Omar Abdullah, then Chief Minister of Indian-occupied Kashmir.
In 2016, Fai said the Barrister initiated the idea of organizing ‘Million-Man Marches’ to advance Kashmir cause in major capitals of the word, and more than 30,000 people participated in the New York march held on October 25, 2015, commemorating October 27—the Day of Occupation—two days in advance, followed two years later by one in Berlin where despite heavy rainfall, thousands attended. The demonstration concluded at the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, where a memorandum was formally submitted.
Dr. Fa i said that Barrister Sultan firmly believed that Kashmir was not a bilateral issue between New Delhi and Islamabad, but an internationally recognized dispute. He consistently argued that any dialogue process must include all three parties: India, Pakistan, and the people of Kashmir. When asked by a member of the U.S. Congress who would represent the Kashmiri people, he responded without hesitation that he had full faith in the leadership of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.
He said Barrister Sultan also believed that a strong Pakistan was essential for effectively defending the rights of Kashmiris.
“We will deeply miss Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry—his leadership, courage, vision, and unwavering commitment to the cause of Kashmir.”