Masood attends 'Peace & Human Rights' seminar in Norway

President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Sardar Masood Khan, visited Norway to participate in a seminar titled " Peace and Human Rights" organized by Foundation Dialogue for Peace in the Norwegian Parliament. Hindu spiritual leader, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the "Art of Living" also attended the event. The seminar was moderated by Norwegian MP Sylvia Garham, Member of the Standing Committee on Foreign and Defence Affairs of the Parliament, the Foreign Office said on Friday.
It was a well-attended event and people from a wide cross section of Norwegian society including Parliamentarians, Human rights activists, journalists as well as diplomats from various countries attended. In his key note address, President Masood Khan briefed the audience on the genesis of the ongoing struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination and focused on the atrocities and gross human rights violations being committed by Indian security forces.
He highlighted the use of pellet guns by the Indian occupying forces on children, as a result of which more than 100 had lost their eyesight. People were not only losing their eyesight but also their lives. He urged the international community not to confuse the heroic struggle of the Kashmiris with terrorism. He also emphasized on the urgent need for a sustained and structured dialogue to resolve the issue of Kashmir which has all the potential to escalate.
The president lamented the apathy and expediency with which the international community approaches the dispute. He also reminded the participants that the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution were being violated with impunity by the Indian forces in the region.
In the end, he called upon the international community to take sides when it comes to Human Rights violations of innocent unarmed people, remove the thick wall of Real politik and understand that Kashmir issue was unique and not comparable to other such disputes around the world. Earlier in the day President Masood Khan had a detailed meeting with the President and Vice President (Speaker and Deputy Speaker) of the Norwegian Parliament. He also met with the Director of the Norwegian Nobel Peace Centre and with officials of Oslo city government including its Mayor.