ISSI Hosts Seminar on “India’s Illegal and Unilateral Actions in IIOJK: Five Years On

Islamabad -(Nasir Abbas): The India Study Centre (ISC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) convened a seminar titled "India’s Illegal and Unilateral Actions in IIOJK: Five Years On" to honor the ongoing struggle and sacrifices of the Kashmiri people. The seminar, held on the fifth anniversary of India's actions in IIOJK on August 5, 2019, featured notable speakers who shared their insights on the Kashmir issue. Dr. Khurram Abbas, Director ISC, initiated the seminar with introductory remarks, emphasizing the enduring resistance of the Kashmiri people against India's attempts to alter the demographic structure of Jammu and Kashmir. He announced the establishment of a Kashmir Resource Centre by the ISSI’s India Study Centre to support students, researchers, and academics working on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Keynote speakers included Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI; Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG, ISSI; Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Spokesperson and Additional Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan; Ambassador Riffat Masood, former Ambassador to Iran; Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja, Executive Director, CISS, AJK; Mr. Altaf Hussain Wani, Chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR); and Mr. Mahmood Saghar, Leader All Parties Hurriyat Conference. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood highlighted the ongoing repression and deceit by India in IIOJK, condemning India's state-terrorism and emphasizing Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination. He stressed the need for the international community to address the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to ensure peace in South Asia. Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja provided an academic perspective on India's illegal actions, emphasizing their detrimental impact on human rights in the region and their implications for strategic stability in South Asia. Altaf Hussain Wani urged the youth to engage in peaceful and non-traditional means to raise global awareness about the Kashmir issue, while **Mr. Mahmood Saghar** reaffirmed the commitment of the Kashmiri leadership to reunite with Pakistan and rejected any proposal to make the LoC a permanent border. Ambassador Riffat Masood commended Pakistan's diplomatic efforts and called for a unified approach to support the Kashmiri cause, emphasizing the role of a stable and prosperous Pakistan. Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the chief guest, reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the Kashmiri struggle, condemning India's demographic changes in IIOJK and demanding the revocation of illegal actions taken by India before and on August 5, 2019. She called for the withdrawal of Indian military forces, the release of political prisoners, and international access to Jammu and Kashmir for humanitarian groups. The seminar concluded with remarks by Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, who discussed the historical and legal aspects of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, underscoring the importance of international law and UN Security Council resolutions in resolving the conflict.