AJK legal fraternity calls for immediate withdrawal of India’s Aug. 05, 2019 sinister action of scrapping special status of disputed J&K State

Fears harm to the identity of Internationally-acknowledged disputed Himalayan StateAltaf Hamid Rao MIRPUR (AJK), (ZNN TV) : A mammoth congregation of the legal community  from across Azad Jammu Kashmir here on Sunday called for early withdrawal  of August 05, 2019 sinister Indian actopm to pave the way for revival of the original status of the internationally-acknowledged  disputed Himalayan State of Jammu and Kashmir as existed on August 14 / 15, 1947. Our AJK Correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao report from Mirpur that in response to the move of illustrious legal expert of AJK and former President of District Bar Association Mirpur Raja Zulfiqar Ahmed Advocate, the broad-based conference of almost all the district  and tehsil Bar Associations   of Azad Jammu & Kashmir was held  under the auspicious of District Bar Association Mirpur. The conference, presided over by Mirpur District Bar Association President Raja Imtiaz Ahmed Advocate, was addressed among others by the chair – Raja Imtiaz, ex DBA Mirpur President Raja Zulfiqar Ahmed Advocate, President AJK High Court Bar Association  Haroon Mughal Advocate, President Central Bar Association Muzaffarabad Fazal Mahmud Advocate, President DBA Bagh Sardar Farukh Chughtai Advocate, President DBA Rawalakot Sardar Javed Shareef Advocate, President DBA Kotli Raja Masood Ahmed Advocate, Member AJK Bar Council Tariq Masood Advocate, President DBA Neelam valey Bashrat Mir Advocate, President Tehsil Bar Association Barnala (Bhimbher)  Ch. Shafeeque Advocate, President Tehsil Bar Association Hajeera Zaraat Shahid Advocate and others. The conference deliberated upon  India’s 5th August 2019 nefarious action scrapping article 370 and 35-A of the Indian constitution abrogating special status of the Jammu & Kashmir State and  its negative repercussions on identity of the State of Jammu & Kashmir.  After deliberation the lawyers congregation  concluded by issuing unanimously the following declaration on contemporary  issues and identity of the State.Following is the complete text of the declaration issued by the AJK lawyers conference:-“After the Indian action of 05-08-2019 and thereafter dividing Indian occupied Kashmir in 2 Union territories, the identity of Jammu & Kashmir is in danger. After the Indian action of abrogating Article 370 and 35-A of Indian Constitution, the authorities on Pakistan side are trying to provide the Gilgit Baltistan status of provisional province of Pakistan and also on the similar line  to the Azad Jammu & Kashmir. The state of Jammu & Kashmir as it existed on 14/15 August 1947 is recognized by the United Nations as a disputed territory and the UN resolution are still intact. The United Nations in its resolutions has accepted the right of self-determination of People of J ammu & Kashmir and has declared that fate of the State of J ammu & Kashmir will be decided by the People of the State through an independent plebiscite conducted under United Nations. In 1951 India through Constituent Assembly of Indian controlled Jammu and Kashmir tried to legitimize the provisional accession made by Maha Raja Hari Sigh but United Nations in its resolution dated 24- 01-1957 declared that Kashmir dispute can only be resolved through a plebiscite and the resolution of the constituent Assembly has no force. It was further declared that Kashmir dispute is still pending in United Nations. When an Assembly of Indian occupied Jammu Kashmir has no power to decide the fate of Kashmir then how Azad Jammu & Kashmir Assembly and Gilgit Baltistan Assembly has power to decide the fate of one fragment in favour of Pakistan.? The lawyers community of Azad Jammu & Kashmir seriously considers the very danger to the identity of the State of Jammu & Kashmir and woes to struggle for protection of the whole State as existed on 14/15 August 1947. The legal community of Jammu & Kashmir seriously challenges the actions of India and Pakistan for legitimizing the fragments of Kashmir in their possession. In consideration of above, we, the representative of the legal community of Azad Jammu & Kashmir reaffirm our commitment to the following prospective in our struggle:- 1. Protection of the State as it existed on 14 / 15 August 1947; 2. Right of Self-determination and implementation of United Nations resolutions;3. Informing the comity of Nations that Kashmir is an issue of 20 million people and not a territorial dispute; 4. Struggle for Unifying the areas of Jammu & Kashmir under the control of India, the Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan;5. The Government of India and Pakistan shall forthwith restore the rule of State Subject; 6. The India should immediately undo the steps taken on 05-08-2019 and thereafter India and Pakistan shall enter into meaningful dialogue alongwith the representatives of the State; and 7. In the meantime cross LOC travel and trade facilities started in 2005 shall reinstated so that the people to people contact across the borders may be restarted”.