KARACHI, Feb 3: The All-parties Conference held here on Sunday declared that “Pakistan without Kashmir is incomplete.”

A resolution adopted at the APC said that peace could not return to the subcontinent unless and until a plebiscite was held as per the UN resolution on the future of the Kashmir territory.

The APC was organised by the Jamaat-i-Islami at its office, Idara Noor-i-Haq.

The resolution recalled that Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had termed Kashmir “jugular vein of Pakistan”, adding that the agenda of Pakistan Movement would remain unachieved until the accession of Kashmir to Pakistan.

Leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and other parties addressed the conference and deplored the reign of terror let loose by the Indian forces in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir over the past six decades.

The resolution said that the government of Pakistan also could not absolve itself of its responsibilities just by observing solidarity day with Kashmiris on Feb 5 every year. It asked the rulers to desist from betraying Kashmiris in the name of confidence building measures (CBMs).

The conference, presided over by JI Naib Amir Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, resolved to organise a massive rally on Feb 5 to express solidarity with Kashmiri people.

Speaking at the moot, he condemned Gen Pervez Musharraf’s offers and incentives to India on the Kashmir issue, reminding him that India had constantly been defying the UN resolutions on Kashmir and continuing with its policy of suppressing the movement by Kashmiri people. Thousands of people were killed and countless rendered disabled in the Indian military actions in the occupied territory, he pointed out.

Prof N.D. Khan of the PPP was of the view that a fair settlement of Kashmir dispute was possible only when it was tackled by a democratic government in Pakistan, maintaining that dictatorship was not capable to ensure an amicable solution.

Saleem Zia of PML-N held the British rulers responsible for the Kashmir problem. Had the issue been tackled with good intentions and wisdom, the situation would not have been what it was today.

Mohammad Hussain Mehanti of the JI condemned that Kashmiri Mujahideen had been dubbed as terrorists by the United States and its allies after the 9/11 tragedy. Siddique Rathor, Yousuf Mastikhan, Mir Nawaz Marwat, Khan Mohammad Baloch, Afzal Sardar and Basharat Mirza also spoke at the conference.

APDM convention

At the same venue, the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) held its convention where speakers held Gen Musharraf responsible for the “destruction of all state institutions”. They also criticised the ruler for the wheat and energy crises, the uncontrolled prices of essential items, law and order situation and increasing insecurity in the country.

They also defended the APDM decision to boycott the polls, and reiterated its stand that free, fair and transparent elections were not possible under the present set-up.

They asked Gen Musharraf to step down immediately.

JI leader Syed Munawwar Hasan deplored that the country had been turned into a US colony.

Hakim Khan Mandokhel of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party said that democracy could not return to Pakistan until the armed forces continued to meddle in the country’s political affairs.Usman Baloch of the National Workers Party, Rafique Khan of the National Labour Federation and Nasrullah Khan Shaji of the JI also spoke at the convention.

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