On eve of International Human Rights Day, AIP conducted a daylong seminar in Srinagar which concluded with the appeal to Indian Government to allow International Human Rights Organizations to visit violence hit Jammu & Kashmir, so that truth comes out. Speaking on the occasion prominent Civil Society activist Shakeel Kalandar said that India treats Kashmir like its colony and must give up the colonial mindset. Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam urged people to reject all those voices who speak in different tunes at different places. Manzoor Ahmad Kirmani asked for an introspection among the leadership and the masses and said that we must own our mistakes and correct them. Renowned columnist Aijaz-ul-haq said on the occasion that while animals and even trees do have the rights, unfortunately the rights of Kashmiris are kept hostage. TV debater Gowhar Geelani urged News Delhi to take notice of hue and cry being made by international human rights organizations. On the occasion dozens of Human Rights activists and civil society volunteers from Jammu region participated in the seminar. Speaking on the occasion renowned political activist from Chinab valley Najam-u-Saqib briefed the participants about the rising hooliganism of extremists in Jammu region. Arif Wahid, well known journalist and social activist from Banial urged Kashmiri leadership not to ignore people of Jammu Province.
He along with dozens of other colleagues joined AIP on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion Er. Rasheed urged New Delhi to allow international human rights organizations to visit J&K. he said “Either New Delhi must declare that Kashmiris have no rights or must let the truth come out. The fact is that the Kashmiris are facing worst aggression at the hands of security forces since last 29 years and New Delhi has lost the moral battle”. Accusing security forces of getting indulged in worst human rights violations, Er. Rasheed said “May the government answer how many militants have been trapped alive during encounters. The fact is that security forces doesn’t even make a nominal attempt to save the precious lives and for them being a Kashmiri or holding a gun in hands is enough to get someone killed. There is no accountability and transparency and if New Delhi claims that its forces are showing restrain it must have no objection in opening J&K to the external world. In fact New Delhi has been misleading not only entire world community but its own people about the atrocities being committed on unarmed Kashmiris irrespective of age, caste and gender”. Er. Rasheed added that New Delhi’s propaganda of fighting Islamic radicals is nothing but an attempt to divert the attention from the real issue. He said “There is a vested interest attached with the violence and unless all stake holders don’t see the violence through humanitarian prism nothing may change.” Er. Rasheed alleged that those criticizing Huriyat for frequent strike calls are not sincere and said that while people have a right to seek answers from Huriyat but they have to be sincere and realistic and must not criticize resistance leadership only for the sake of criticism.He added that who is stopping critics of resistance leadership from giving an alternate political plate form if they have vision.