We are fighting forces of extremism and violence, Dr Shabir Choudhry’s speech in the UKPNP European Convention held in Geneva

We are fighting forces of extremism and violence,

Dr Shabir Choudhry’s speech in the UKPNP European Convention held in Geneva

Mr President, friends and colleagues and aslamo alaikam and good evening.

It is an honour to be here among so many dignitaries and given an opportunity to express my views.

I want to congratulate UKPNP and Shaukat Kashmiri for arranging this splendid evening with so many dignitaries - Ambassadors, politicians, academics, political activists and human rights activist under one roof. They must have worked extremely hard to get so many people in this hall in this cold weather; and I applaud them for this success. Also I want to congratulate the new elected leaders of the UKPNP Europe Zone; and hope that they will strengthen our hands to promote the cause we are promoting.

People sometime say that I support Shaukat Kashmiri and UKPNP. I support united and independent Jammu Kashmir. I support culture of tolerance and coexistence. I support democratic and secular ideals. I support peaceful and non - violent struggle. I support peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute. This is what Shaukat Kashmiri and his party believe. So I support the above struggle and mission. It is my mission, and it is also a mission of Shaukat Kashmiri; and we promote similar policies.

Our struggle is similar in many ways. Both Kashmir National Party and United Kashmir Peoples National Party are fighting against forces of extremism and violence. We are fighting for peace and stability. We are fighting to empower local people. Our struggle is pro-peace and pro people. We are fighting those who promote religious hatred. We are fighting those who export violence and terrorism. We are fighting those who want Jammu and Kashmir to keep on bleeding.

Mr President

Our struggle may look easy to some, but believe me, it is full of problems and dangers, because in South Asia powerful forces have made it their business to promote religious hatred and terrorism; and those who oppose religious hatred and terrorism are perceived as enemies. These God Fathers of religious hatred and terrorism are very powerful and don’t feel shy to silence their opponents and kill innocent people to create chaos and advance their agenda.

It is unfortunate that through control of media, these people are in a position to present political activists who believe in democratic and secular society, as anti -Pakistan and anti - Islam. Apart from that this mafia has established parties to promote their agenda and fight those groups and individuals who want a rule of law, a system of accountability and democratic and secular society.

These people not only target true Kashmiri nationalists but they also harass and intimidate their family members and friends. One objective of this policy is to alienate the true nationalists from the support of close family and friends. Apart from that they target members of ethnic minorities; and there are tonnes of evidence to prove this.

Our school curriculum is prepared in Pakistan, which helps them to make us good slaves of the ruling elite and Pakistan. They teach us wrong history; and purpose of that is to fool us in name of religion and false notions.

History books written by them tell us that when Pakistan violated the Standstill Agreement on 22 October 1947, and managed a Tribal Aggression against Jammu and Kashmir State and its people it was done to help the people. The fact is that people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially non-Muslims were mercilessly butchered and looted. Their houses burnt, their women raped and kidnapped.

As a direct result of that unprovoked and imperialist attack our motherland was forcibly divided between India and Pakistan; and we people suffer on both sides of the divide. Those who planned this tribal attack, and caused so much misery and suffering demand that we Kashmiri people should regard them as our well-wishers and Mujahideen; and that the tribal attack was designed to save us.

True, we are divided and oppressed; and some of us are still confused as to what our future should be; but we are not fools. We know what are policies of those who occupy us; and what is in interest of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Chairman, due to constraints of time I have to finish my speech here; and I thank you for your patience.