KIIR chief hails Erdogan’ for raising voice for Kashmiris’ rights Urges world leaders to follow the suit

Islamabad: Appreciating Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan for reiterating his unflinching support to Kashmiris’ legitimate cause senior Hurriyat leader and Chairman Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Altaf Hussain Wani has urged the world leaders to follow the suit and raise voice for the voiceless people of the Indian occupied Kashmir.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, the KIIR chief while expressing his gratitude to the Turkish president said, “Kashmiris living on both sides of the ceasefire line (CFL) owe a debt of gratitude to the brotherly country for its continued and consistent support for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir conflict”.

Turkey, he said, is one of the countries that besides raising the Kashmir issue at every international forum has strongly condemned India’s illegal occupation and the atrocities being inflicted upon the people of Kashmir by Indian forces. Referring to Erdogan’s landmark speech Mr. Wani said that his statement has generated a fresh wave of optimism amongst Kashmiri masses who were reeling under the worst kind of Indian state terrorism.

Citing the dire political and human rights situation in the region he said, “It is high time that the influential world leaders should realize the fact that hapless people of Kashmir cannot be left at the mercy of Modi led fascist regime that is hell-bent on erasing the Kashmir’s socio-political and cultural identity. “The situation in the occupied territory has assumed dangerous proportions after the Indian government stripped the region of its statehood by abolishing article 370 and 35 A, last year (2019).

Mr. Wani said that a result-oriented dialogue between the key stake-holders was the only way forward to address the Kashmir problem but relying solely on bilateralism would be tantamount to allowing more bloodshed and casualties in Kashmir.

The world, he said, might wait for an indefinite period of time to find a solution of the dispute but Kashmiris who were being killed day in and day out could not afford a wait for a single day. “It is therefore imperative that the world leaders should come forward in a big way and explore all available options to settle this deadly conflict once and for all”, he said adding that a sustained and coordinated diplomatic persuasion by the world powers was essentially important to bring India and Pakistan to the negotiating table.