New York, The World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF), a Washington-based advocacy group, has employed an innovative approach in New York City by using mobile digital advertising trucks to demand United Nations intervention in the Kashmir conflict.
According to Kashmir Media Service, on January 5th, designated as the Kashmiris’ Right to Self-Determination Day, these digital trucks displayed messages across Manhattan, urging the UN to act on its resolutions regarding the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The trucks’ routes included significant locations such as the United Nations headquarters, Times Square, and various other key points in the city.
The electronic screens on the trucks showcased various messages highlighting the plight of Kashmiris under Indian occupation and calling for international attention to their situation. Messages included calls for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and highlighted the ongoing human rights violations in the region.
Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, the Secretary-General of WKAF, stated that the use of digital trucks was effective in reaching a wide audience within a short time. He emphasized the historical context of the Kashmir dispute, noting that it has been a point of contention between India and Pakistan since 1947. Dr Fai highlighted the UN’s role in the conflict, including the 1949 ceasefire agreement and the proposed plebiscite, which India has yet to implement.
Dr Ghulam N. Mir, President of WKAF, remarked on the prolonged human rights abuses in Kashmir and the need for international intervention to address the conflict’s impact on regional stability and human rights.
Dr Imtiaz Khan, a professor at George Washington University Medical Center, commented on the UN’s responsibility in implementing its resolutions on Kashmir. He criticized the international body’s failure to address human rights violations in conflict zones and urged the UN to take a more active role in resolving the Kashmir dispute.
Sardar Sawar Khan, a former advisor to the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, and other leaders also emphasized the importance of the UN’s resolutions in finding a just solution to the Kashmir issue.
The event’s main organizer, Sardar Taj Khan, Senior Vice President of Kashmir Mission, USA, highlighted the importance of resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of its people and in line with UN resolutions.
The advocacy campaign in New York aimed to draw international attention to the Kashmir issue and urge the UN to play a more active role in resolving this long-standing conflict.