ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), led by Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi, met Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore at Jammu Kashmir House.
The APHC representatives congratulated Prime Minister Rathore on assuming office and held detailed discussions on highlighting the Kashmir issue at the international level, the current situation in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and the ongoing struggle for the right to self-determination.
The delegation included Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, Mahmood Ahmed Saghar, Advocate Parvez Shah, Mushtaq Ahmed Butt, Sheikh Abdul Mateen, Ijaz Rehmani, Imtiaz Ahmed Wani, Haji Muhammad Sultan, Sheikh Abdul Majid and Raja Shaheen.
Prime Minister Rathore emphasized that the current AJK government’s foremost priority is to present the Kashmir dispute in its true context. He said a joint and coordinated strategy would be formulated with the Hurriyat Conference to advance the Kashmir cause. He reaffirmed that the people and government of Azad Kashmir will continue to stand firmly with their brothers and sisters in Occupied Kashmir.
Rathore recalled that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto founded the Pakistan Peoples Party with Kashmir as a central pillar, presenting an eternal vision of resistance. He noted that the “Daughter of Democracy,” Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, introduced Hurriyat leaders to the international stage and consistently highlighted the Kashmir issue at various global forums during her tenure as Pakistan’s prime minister. He added that former President Asif Ali Zardari also raised his voice for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination at every world platform, while Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, as foreign minister, forcefully advocated the Kashmir cause and urged the international community to play its role.
Prime Minister Rathore assured that his government would continue to highlight the Kashmir dispute on all international forums and pursue a comprehensive, unanimous strategy to advocate the rights of the Kashmiri people. He expressed deep concern over the grave human rights violations committed by Indian occupying forces in Occupied Kashmir, urging the global community to ensure the implementation of UN resolutions and help secure Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
He paid tribute to the resilience and sacrifices of Hurriyat leaders imprisoned in Indian jails, as well as the unwavering struggle of the Kashmiri people. Rathore reiterated that all Kashmiri stakeholders will continue to work with unity, consultation and mutual coordination to bring the freedom movement to its rightful conclusion and ensure the liberation of Occupied Kashmir.
The delegation thanked the Prime Minister and assured him of their full cooperation in advancing the Kashmir cause.