Muzaffarabad: A seminar held at the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir strongly criticized India’s 2019 decision to revoke the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), an act that has significantly altered the region’s demographic and political landscape.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the event was organized by the Institute of Kashmir Studies to mark the anniversary of the controversial move on August 5, 2019. The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, which granted special status to the region, was the focus of the seminar, highlighting the subsequent increase in human rights violations, including demographic changes, arrests, and media restrictions.
Speakers at the seminar, including Prof. Dr. Nadeem Haider Bukhari, Dr. Ambreen Khawaja, Dr. Mahmood Hussain, Dr. Nazakat Hussain, and Syed Inaam Ali Naqvi, discussed the extensive repercussions of India’s actions. They called for international accountability for these violations and reaffirmed the need for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
Prof. Bukhari, in his keynote address, pointed out the crucial role of a stable Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir in supporting the Kashmiri struggle for freedom. He emphasized the necessity of self-reflection and integrity in evaluating the support provided to Kashmiris across the Line of Control.
Dr. Hussain elaborated on India’s cultural and legal impositions in the valley aimed at diluting Kashmir’s historical identity. Meanwhile, Dr. Khawaja addressed the educational and mobilizational aspects, stressing the importance of informing Kashmiri youth about the history and phases of their freedom movement.
The seminar concluded with a collective call for enhanced efforts to educate and mobilize support for Kashmir, both locally and internationally.