KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s address at the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where he called for the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan be resolved through peaceful means, should be respected, said Deputy Chief of Mission of the High Commission of Pakistan to Malaysia Atif Sharif Mian.
“As among the great world leaders, he gives an important statement that the world cannot afford another conflict between two nuclear power countries... it can be a disaster to the world,” he told Bernama after a forum titled ‘Palestine – Kashmir Forum: The Struggle for Freedom and Self Determination’, jointly organised by the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia and Malaysian Islamic Organisations’ Consultative Council (MAPIM) here on Monday.
The people of Kashmir have been under lockdown with limited access to food, medicines and internet, and there are thousands of army personnel roaming the street, with pellet gun becoming the weapon of choice, and over 10,000 injured and 800 blinded by pellet shots, he said.
Thus, Mian appreciated Dr Mahathir’s strong stand on Kashmir.
The Indian government has imposed a curfew and detained nearly 4,000 people including political leaders, lawyers and journalists.
In a joint declaration issued at the end of the forum, the organisers demanded international solidarity against the injustices done on Kashmiris and the Palestinians.
MAPIM President Azmi Abdul Hamid said the joint declaration will be submitted to Tun Dr Mahathir tomorrow in Putrajaya.
“The aim is to create an understanding of issues about Palestine and Kashmir, to make it a document that can be consulted by all parties so that it can serve as a basis for many more campaigns, forums, seminars and sermons in mosques to raise awareness of what is happening,” he said.
Representatives of non-governmental organisations from Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia also attended the forum. — Bernama
