Former AJK Prime Minister and Central Leader of PPP (Azad Kashmir Chapter), Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry has urged the United States to play its pivotal role for resolution of Kashmir issue as it has become imperative for the regional as well as global peace.
"The settlement of Kashmir issue is also in the US interest as resolution of this longstanding issue is linked with settlement of Afghan issue," he made these remarks in a meeting with senior officials of the US State Department in Washington, said a message received here on Friday. He said the US should help stop human rights violations in occupied Kashmir, organise an intra-Kashmir dialogue and support efforts for establishment of a joint chamber of commerce enabling Kashmiris to play a role of bridge between Pakistan and India.
Briefing the officials of US State Department, he said that Kashmiris were propelling indigenous movement for the right to self determination but India was trying to suppress this movement through military might. The unarmed and innocent Kashmiris were fighting with Indian troops deployed in occupied Kashmir and were not ready to quit their just right, he added. He also apprised the officials about his recent visit to occupied Srinagar and his meetings with High Court Bar Association.
He informed them that Kashmiris were not ready to live with India and they wanted to be a part of Pakistan, adding, more than 300 Kashmiri lawyers passed a resolution regarding accession to Pakistan. Sultan Mehmood said that India should respect the sentiments of Kashmiris and resolve the Kashmir issue and improve its relations with Pakistan so that it could stretch its trade to the Central Asian nations. He said that Kashmiris were not against dialogue between Pakistan and India but they wanted their inclusion in the talks process as they were main party to the Kashmir issue.
He said "Although Kashmiris have some reservation over the MFN status to India however, they do not create hurdles so that the Kashmir issue is resolved in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiris and UN resolution." The senior officials of the US State Department assured Barrister Sultan Mehmood that the US wanted just resolution of Kashmir issue for peace in the region and said they were in contact with the both countries in this regard.