KNP leaders to visit Pakistani Administered Kashmir

Dr Shabir Choudhry  13 April 2009

Kashmir National Party which champion policy of liberal democracy and oppose forces of communalism, terrorism and hatred; has decided to send two senior leaders to Pakistani Administered Kashmir.

KNP is a true nationalist party and wants independence from both India and Pakistan. KNP leaders sincerely believe that united and independent Jammu and Kashmir is the only viable and acceptable solution to the Kashmir dispute. This is the only solution which could bring lasting peace in the Sub Continent.

Those people who promote accession of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir to either India or Pakistan have their wisdom and judgement misplaced on this issue. Similarly those who are presenting the Kashmir dispute as a religious problem are perpetuating our miseries. There could be no viable solution to the Kashmir dispute on the basis of religion. Those who are espousing a religious politics are preparing grounds for the division of the State, hence promoting religious extremism and hatred in the region.

Abbas Butt and Dr Shabir Choudhry will leave London on 17^th April and stay in Dubai before proceeding to Islamabad on 19^th. They will have a KNP meeting on the evening of 19^th April in Rawalpindi; and have a press conference in Islamabad the next day. They will have some meetings in Islamabad in the afternoon before proceeding to Mirpur to attend an evening meeting with various Kashmiri leaders there.

KNP Zone of PAK and other friends and colleagues have been requesting a visit for more than a year, but due to other commitments the KNP leaders could not visit the area. Although weather and political environment in Pakistan and PAK is not appropriate, but the KNP leaders have decided in favour of the visit, and will hold meetings in various cities.

During their visit the KNP leaders will meet senior Pakistani leaders, ministers, Senators, member of Think Tanks and media men. They will also hold meetings with Prime Minister and President of PAK; and other senior Kashmiri leaders.

KNP team in PAK, other friends and like minded people are making arrangements that the visiting KNP leaders could also have meetings with nationalist Kashmiri leadership and leaders from Gilgit and Baltistan.

They will have some meetings with diplomats, including diplomats from the Western countries to discuss the problems of the region, especially terrorism, extremism and the Kashmir dispute.

KNP leaders will also address bar councils in various cities and hold press conferences and public meetings in various cities, including Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Hajeera, Nelam Valley, Chakothi and Bagh.

Apart from that they will launch a new book of Dr Shabir Choudhry in Kotli. The new book, Struggle for independence, ‘Jihad’ or a ‘Proxy war’ is published by a famous Kashmiri publisher - Kasher Publishers.

KNP leaders will also hold meetings with NSF leaders and other nationalists to discuss with them the proposed unity march to Gilgit and Baltistan in August; and how it could be supported, and how mistakes of the past could be avoided.

The KNP leaders will travel to the Neelam Valley, Chakothi and other areas near the LOC to listen to the miseries of the people who have been subject to human rights abuse. They want to investigate human rights abuse, political harassment and intimidation there by meeting the victims and their relatives.

KNP leaders will be back in UK on 4^th May 2009. During the visit KNP leaders could be contacted on:

Abbas Butt: 0092 332 656 5767/ international no: 0044 (0) 7949 812543

Dr Shabir Choudhry: 0092 332 656 5965/ international no 0044 (0) 77909 42471