CALL FOR KASHMIRI PARTICIPATION IN INDO-PAK TALKS

London: 13 October, 1998

JKLF in London joined calls for India and Pakistan to invite Kashmiri leaders to the latest round of talks in order to resolve the Kashmir problem. In a statement issued after a top brass meeting of the JKLF activists in Watford, they criticised the remarks made by Pakistani foreign office secretary Shamshad Ahmed that Pakistan would represent the Kashmiri people in the latest round of talks with India to be held on 16-18 October, in Islamabad. The JKLF statement issued by its general secretary said that while it was in line with Pakistani policy to unintentionally mess up for the Kashmiris over the last 50 years it was in direct conflict with a statement made by Pakistan's foreign minister Sartaj Aziz in New York where he proclaimed that Pakistan had no objection to Kashmiri participation and that it was only India which did not want to accept the Kashmiris as a third party to the dispute.

The UK chapter of the JKLF backed the APHC calls and demanded that Kashmiris must be recognised as the first and foremost party in the Kashmir issue. "What India and Pakistan had to do in the latest talks is to recognise that fact and then work together on a formula to seek Kashmiri representation from all parts of the divided state of Jammu-kashmir". JKLF statement further said that it was high time that India accepted the fact that Kashmir issue was now an international issue with a nuclear dimension and needed to be resolved swiftly and amicably in order to bring about lasting peace and friendship in the region which would be of benefit to all parties involved.

"It is arrogant on part of Pakistan to make such statements of representing the 13 million people of J&K and sheer stupidity on part of India not to accept ground realities in J&K and keep its head buried in the sand like an ostrich. Now is the time for both India and Pakistan to save face and get out of Jammu-Kashmir with some dignity. Our fight will go on until Kashmiris achieve their right to unfettered self-determination", the statement said.

The extraordinary meeting was attended by President Mohammed Younis, general secretary Azmat A Khan, vice president Mumtaz Rathore , deputy general secretary Liaqat Khan, UK spokesman Cllr Qurban Hussain, and members of the central committee and diplomatic committee including, Shabir Choudary,M Asim, Abbass Butt, Khaliq Hassan, Laiq Ali, M Saeed, Munir Khan, Aslam Sheikh, and many others. Other issues including JKLF support for the APHC and Pakistani stance over the issue of rights for the Gilgit/Baltistan and UK foreign office policy on Kashmir were also discussed in length.