"Pakistan, India and international community have to realise the fact that Kashmir is a human tragedy and suffering in the region. It is much more than a political conflict between Pakistan and India."
This was stated here on Sunday by Mir Waiz Umer Farooq at World Social Forum (WSF) on 'Pakistan-India Peace Process: What is in it for Kashmir'.
He said that Kashmiris suffered the most for endeavouring for peace, justice and dignity. He urged Pakistan, India and international community for bringing the Kashmiris in the peace process. He said, "We believe that Kashmiris should be left for deciding their future. Kashmir problem should be resolved according to the aspirations of its people."
He said all different voices from Kashmir, Jammu, Ladakh, and Northern Areas should come together with solution along with Kashmiris. He said slowly and gradually international community had realised that the resolution of Kashmir issue was a must.
The Mir Waiz said Kashmir is a state, possessing all basic features of a national state, ie it has ethnic, religious, political, cultural diversities. He said it was 'high time' for the Kashmir solution and urged all three parties, Pakistan, India and Kashmir political factors, to consider 'new ideas' in this regard.
He said UN and other international organisation were mere deception, as Kashmiris could not wait any further for the resolution of their problem.
Abdul Qayyum Khan expressed disappointment over the WSF programme. He said: "I thought the programme will be of serious nature and a solid solution for the resolution of Kashmir issue would come out but I am disappointed having such a disrupted programme."
Most of the time he remained engaged in remonstration with dissident activists who started chanting slogans against him as he appeared on the stage for his speech. Continuously, the dissident activists interrupted the programme. Most of the time it was thought that the programme would turn into a full-fledged pandemonium.
He said whoever chanted slogans "against us, they were rejected" by the Kashmiris.
He said any agenda imposed on Kashmiris from outside could not settle the Kashmir issue. Qayyum urged the components of civil society to play their role in making the issue resolved.
Yasin Malik condemned those who created pandemonium amid Abdul Qayum's speech. He said it would rather serve India and those who were against independence of Kashmir. He criticised Abdul Qayyum Khan for challenging them and confronting them.
Yasin said he was not against the people of India but the Indian state, which persistently denied self-determination of Kashmiris.
Criticising non-violence motion set forth by Gandhi, he said India is called biggest democracy in the world while it had denied its own non-violence theory by inflicting sufferings on Kashmiris. He called upon Pakistan and India to take Kashmiris as their equal partner in the peace process.
Syed Ali Gilani's speech was read out by a peace activist, Sonia Jabbar. He said: "My religious and political activities are curbed by Indian government and now I am under house arrest.
"The UN plebiscite was the only solution of Kashmir problem. The ongoing peace process has dim perspective to render anything possible for Kashmiris. The Huriyat is not happy and satisfied with peace process."
He said, "UN resolution should be implementable on all three parties--Pakistan, India, and Kashmiris". Amanullah said any formula on Kashmir issue imposed from outside would not be acceptable to Kashmiris.
He said, "Our people were killed, women molested, leaders put behind the bars, youth kidnapped, but despite all these sacrifices it were Pakistan and India who were deciding about their destiny." Several other Kashmiri leaders from both side of the LoC spoke.