India and Pakistan cannot decide our future. Declare JKLF leaders

03 June 2007

JKLF Central Committee met in Birmingham on Sunday to discuss the current situation of Kashmir and formulate new strategy for the party.

JKLF leaders said Kashmir dispute is not a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan. The dispute concerns about identity and future of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Our struggle is not for any kind of accession, division or internal autonomy.

Our struggle is for unification and independence of the State. We want people of Jammu and Kashmir to get their basic human rights which are not available to them on both sides of the LOC. We want governments of India and Pakistan to respect their pledges made to the people of Kashmir and grant basic rights to the people.

The Central Committee said there is no military solution to the Kashmir dispute. We want all violence to end in Jammu and Kashmir that people can live their lives without any fear or intimidation. We support the peace process but we want to emphasise that there could be no peace without actual participation of the Kashmiri people.

JKLF leaders said, India and Pakistan are party to the dispute because of their de -facto position, but they have no right to decide future of the state. They have to understand that we are the principal party to the dispute, and we must have the final say in this matter.

The Central Committee heard reports from different organs of the party. They also looked at the role of Diplomatic Committee, especially with regard to the Baroness Emma Nicholson's Kashmir report. The party highly appreciated the work of the Diplomatic Committee and agreed that this report is a major achievement, and Emma Nicholson and all those who helped and supported her must be congratulated.

The Central Committee decided to hold a reception in the honour of Baroness Emma Nicholson and give an award to her for her marvellous achievement. The Central Committee instructed Abbas Butt, Dr Shabir Choudhry and Asim Mirza to make arrange for the reception.

Some senior leaders of the party criticised the progress of the 'unity talks' with other JKLF groups and expressed their doubts about these talks. In their view some leaders on the other sides were not serious and sincere with uniting the JKLF factions, as their role is to ensure the JKLF does not flourish.

Some of the leaders requested the Central Committee to consider changing the name of the JKLF. In their view it was not possible to effectively work to promote the ideology of united and independent Kashmir, because the name JKLF is carrying a big baggage and it is not possible to defend it in public what some leaders are doing in name of the JKLF.

They said some JKLF groups are perceived as working for secrete agencies by other nationalist parties, and it is embarrassing to us when we have to defend the name of the JKLF, especially when leaders of other JKLF groups openly ally themselves with anti independent forces. These leaders said we have a duty to the Kashmiri nation and must tell them who are these people who have ruined name of the JKLF and the nationalist movement.

The Central Committee after a lengthy debate decided that our first priority is to defend our ideology, and party is only a vehicle to promote that ideology. The name of JKLF is close to our hearts and we have emotional attachment with this name but our ideology is more important to us; and we will take appropriate decision in the best interest of our movement.

The Central Committee demanded that genuine representatives of the Kashmir people should be made part of the peace process. India and Pakistan have no right to decide future of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The JKLF leaders said those who have become a tool of imperialist powers or safeguard interest of Islamabad or New Delhi are not true representatives of the Kashmiri people.

Meeting was attended by the following: Abbas Butt, Mohammed Nazam Bhatti, Waseem Ansari, Asif Ansari, Ehasan Ansari, Mumtaz Mirza, Aaslam Mirza, Nawaz Majid, Dr Shabir Choudhry, Masoom Ansari, Ch Sarwar Hussain and Aurangzeb Mirza.