Muzaffarabad: A seminar titled “The Jammu and Kashmir Dispute: Past and Present” was held at the Bhimber campus of University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the seminar was organized by the Kashmir Policy Research Institute (KPRI). The event was chaired by the Registrar AJK varsity and Dean, Dr. Chaudhry Abid Hussain.

Director KPRI Dr. Raja Muhammad Sajjad Khan emphasized the need for youth in Azad Kashmir to be the voice of the people in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to highlight ongoing human rights abuses there. Speakers paid tribute to the martyrs of Jammu, recalling the massacre of Muslims in November 1947 by Maharaja Hari Singh’s Dogra forces, Indian troops, and RSS fanatics, during which over 250,000 Muslims were killed, women were abducted, and many Kashmiris were forced to migrate to Pakistan.

They noted that it is due to the sacrifices of their ancestors that they breathe in free air today. The speakers highlighted the legacy of those who sacrificed or engaged in political struggle for the region’s freedom, calling them heroes. They stressed the responsibility to raise global awareness of India’s oppression and to be the voice of those sacrificing their lives, wealth, and honour. They also recognized Pakistan’s support for the Kashmir cause on all international platforms.

The seminar also featured speeches by Professor Dr. Abdul Rehman and Dr. Ijaz Kashmiri, among others.