Sub-continent’s partition agenda incomplete without Kashmirs’ right to self-determination

LAHORE
The agenda of the partition of the Sub-continent remains incomplete without granting the right of self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, while the liberation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is the legitimate right of the Kashmiri people, speakers said on Wednesday.
These views were expressed during a roundtable discussion titled “The Kashmir Dispute: Challenges to Regional Stability Between Two Nuclear Powers,” organized by the Press Information Department (PID) Lahore on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day. Director General PID Lahore, Shafqat Abbas, hosted the event.
The speakers said the entire Pakistani nation is united on the Kashmir issue and stressed that despite oppression, coercion, and state terrorism, India cannot suppress the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
They emphasized the need for the implementation of United Nations resolutions on Kashmir and urged international human rights organizations to play an effective role in halting Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiris. They also stated that Indian propaganda would be countered forcefully and effectively through digital media and modern communication tools.
Renowned journalists, analysts, experts, and intellectuals who participated in the discussion included Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami, Salman Ghani, Najam Wali Khan, Malik Salman, Tariq Ghori, Noorullah, Sajjad Parvez, Dr. Fauzia Hadi Ali, Dr. Arsha Saleem Mir, Malik Shakeel, and others.
The participants discussed the Kashmir issue in depth, along with its implications for regional peace, security, and South Asia.
Senior journalist Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami said that Pakistan’s consistent, principled, and diplomatic struggle has kept the Kashmir issue alive at the global level. He stated that after success in Maarka-e-Haq, Pakistan’s pressure on India continues, and the country has demonstrated its defensive capabilities. He said February 5 renews national resolve and that the day will surely come when the Kashmir issue is resolved.
He called for a more proactive and effective role by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, the Parliamentary Kashmir Committee, and the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Stressing that war is not a solution, he cited the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an example where thousands of lives have been lost but the issue remains unresolved. He added that Pakistan does not advocate war, but if war is imposed, it knows how to defend itself.
Shami further said that after Pakistan’s nuclear tests, then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to come to Lahore, and India was compelled to acknowledge that the Kashmir issue could only be resolved through dialogue. He added that while Pakistan supports negotiations, defensive preparedness remains essential.
Senior journalist and analyst Salman Ghani said Pakistan has achieved self-reliance in defense and must now move rapidly toward economic self-sufficiency. He reiterated that without the liberation of the IIOJK , the agenda of partition remains incomplete. He said the nation is united on Kashmir, with complete harmony between civil and military leadership.
He added that India employed all tactics to suppress the freedom movement in occupied Kashmir but failed to crush the Kashmiri people’s spirit of freedom. Through unparalleled sacrifices, Kashmiris have brought the issue to the global stage, he said.
DG PID Lahore Shafqat Abbas stated that Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir and would continue to highlight the issue worldwide. He said Indian propaganda would be countered in a logical and effective manner through digital media and modern communication tools, adding that India cannot suppress the Kashmiri freedom movement through force and will ultimately have to come to the negotiating table.
Senior journalist Najam Wali Khan said the entire nation is united on the Kashmir issue and that Pakistan has kept it alive politically, intellectually, and diplomatically. He said the issue is moving toward its logical conclusion and criticized Indian media for playing an irresponsible role, adding that Pakistan has made it clear that India cannot win a war.