International Kashmir Conference begins in Islamabad
16 March, 2007
ISLAMABAD: A two-day International Conference on Kashmir will commence here from March 16 to focus on conflict resolution among three stake holders of the Kashmir dispute - Pakistan, India, Kashmiris - and formulate recommendations in this regard.
The conference is being jointly organised by Institute of Strategic Studies and Kashmir Institute of International Relations with the support of Ministry of Kashmir Affairs. The moot will be attended by intellectuals, opinion-makers and Parliamentarians from all over the world, who have been significantly contributing to the Kashmir dispute resolution process. Prominent participants include Yasin Malik, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, President AJK, PM AJK, Barrister Sultan Mehmud and others.
The inaugural session will be held at 10am, and on the same day sessions of the three working groups will be held. The first working group, chaired by Professor Abdul Ghani Bhut will discuss the "Human rights and justice in Kashmir", Group B, Chaired by Senator Mushahid Hussain, would discus the viability of a step-by-step approach to the "Self-determination, demilitarisation; self-governance; Joint management", and the Group C, chaired by Brian Cox will be devoted to "learning from Models of Conflict Resolution and peace process".
The three groups will present their recommendations during the concluding session, which will be held on March 17 and will be chaired by the Chairman Senate. Tahir Iqbal speaking to the media stated Pakistan and India have recognised that Kashmir dispute can not continue to linger on and the centrality of the Kashmiri people to the resolution of the dispute has also been accepted. He said time for deliberating upon possible ways to move forward towards resolution of the dispute has arrived.
The minister said the conference would provide an opportunity to consolidate proposals for defining a viable road-map for the final solution of the Kashmir issue. He stressed that the three stakeholders - Pakistan, India and Kashmiris should resolve Kashmir dispute amicably. He said international community must play pivotal role in the settlement of Kashmir problem.
Courtesy -APP
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