Press Release: Awami National Conference

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi

5th August 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Two Day Round Table Conference (RTC) on INDO-PAK DIALOGUE- ROLE OF THE PEOPLE OF J&K, invited by Begum Khalida Shah, President J&K Awami National Conference (ANC) in New Delhi on 2nd and 3rd August concluded after marathon deliberations between the member of civil society drawn from all the three regions of the state and rest of the country. It was being felt necessary by our party president to organize this kind of round table conference in Delhi after watching unending dance of death and destructions in Kashmir valley and total lack of information on the ground realities by country at large.

The two day conference gave unhindered opportunity to participants to put forth the aspirations of people of J&K for debating the history of conflict and a way forward to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. The 62 year old issue is crying for resolution. The conference observed two minute silence to pay homage to departed soul.

These very civil society debates are being organised under a time frame in all the five regions of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State viz, Jammu, Srinagar, Ladakh, Muzaffrabad and Gilgit-Baltistan by the party to arrive at a consensus of finding a just and an honourable solution of Kashmir issue acceptable to India- Pakistan and people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Governments of New Delhi and Islamabad will be expected by the people on both sides of the LOC to allow such Intra- Kashmir dialogue without any hindrance and objections. The first session is scheduled to be held in the month of September 2010 in Jammu and fifth and the last session in Srinagar.

The conference echoed in one voice the pain and anger on the unending and unbridled Human Rights Violations, curb on Freedom of Press, the Violation of Basic Tenants of Life and Liberty, shattered economy and total collapse of governance, regional imbalances in state and ambiguous policy on return of migrants. The conference held both centre and the state governments responsible for the loss of innocent and precious lives and property which today has brought Jammu and Kashmir to the point of no return.

In the concluding remarks, the ANC president Begum Khalida Shah said “solution to Kashmir is to be found immediately. Why are we being suppressed from all corners? The paramilitary and our state police are behaving as occupational forces. This kind of behaviour
has not been witnessed anywhere in the country.” She categorically said “bullet is no answer to stone pelting”.

She thanked all the participants who made themselves available in the conference in spite of mayhem and chaotic situation in Kashmir and those who remained insensitive to attend the conference.

Among those who took part in the two day round table discussion were Academicians- Dr Javed Iqbal, Dr Hamida Nayeem, G N Var, Amman Ullaha Kanth, Jurists- Abdul Latiff, Mir Mohd Shafi, A G Mansoor, Politicos- Eng. Abdul Rashid( MLA), A G Naseem( Ex MLA), A K Hanief( President, Forum for Kashmir Resolution),Sayed S.Hakkni, Dr Daraksha Andrabi (President DSP), Mufti Nazim( President, Save Kashmir Movement), Prof. Bhim Singh( Chairman, Panthers Party), G S Charak ( President, Dogra Sadhar Sabha), S. Joginder Singh Raina,( President Muzaffarabad Refugees Association),Hilal War( President, PPP),Mohd Aslam (former DC), Imran Rahi, M M Khajura (Former DGP), T Samphel ( Ex- MLA,member LBA), Subodh Mukho(National Peace Movement), Kamal Hak, T N Fotedar,and Sanjay Saraf ( National Youth President LJP),Media-Zafar Meraj,Rashid Rahil,Akash Amin Bhat, Ishfaq Gowhar, Ahmad Ali Fayaz,Gulzar Ahmad,Khalid Jhingir, Zahid Manzoor,Imran Tariq,Wahid Ahmad,Rahul Jalali, Sayed Tajmul Hussain, Rashid Rahi, Sheikh Farooq,Inam ul Nabi, Khalid Gul, Bilal Furkani, Business- Haji Nazir Ahmad Zargar,Shabir Ahmad Lone.

The conference addressed by prominent national political leaders were A B Bardhan( CPI) Aziz Pasha(MP),Wasim Ahmad ( Ex-MP),Mani shankar Aiyer( MP), besides eminent media personalities Prem Shanker Jha, B G Vergheese, Satish Jacob, Ms Seema Mustafa, Pankaj Pachori, Brig Rajiv William, and Karan Sawhney, A large number of international media and member from diplomatic missions attended the conference. Messages sent by JKLF chairman Amman Ullah Khan, Mufti Azim Moulvi Bashir-u-din and Dr Abdul Majid were put on record.
JKANC is releasing CD of proceedings of two day conference held in New Delhi in Srinagar shortly.
A copy of resolution adopted by conference is attached.
Thank you

(Muzzafar Shah)
Sr. Vice President

The Resolution

The two day Round Table Conference on Indo-Pak dialogue- Role of people of J&K, organised by J&K Awami National Conference in New Delhi on 2nd & 3rd August 2010 after marathon deliberations between the civil society from J&K and rest of India, unanimously adopted the following resolution.

RESOLUTION

1. Killing of innocent persons be stopped immediately and accountability be enforced.

2. Immediate revocation of all draconian laws especially AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act). The level of all security forces be brought down to 1989.

3. Release of all political prisoners.

4. Civil Society debates across J&K and the rest of the India to be started at once.

5. India and Pakistan should restart their dialogue process so that a meaningful resolution is found to the Kashmir problem that satisfies the aspirations of the people of J&K and include them in the dialogue process.

6. All restrictions on the Media in J&K be removed forthwith.