Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
Kashmir Solidarity Day
observed in Australia
Report: Mohammed Ali, Canberra
A photo of a boy with unspeakable horror written all over his face due to a rifle aimed at him. Another photo of a crying woman desperately trying to salvage what was left after the demolition of her house. A group of young boys being tortured. These were some of the images that participants of a photo exhibition witnessed on 5 February 2011 in Canberra, Australia. The photo exhibition followed by a seminar titled “Peace in Kashmir?” was organized by the Kashmir Solidarity Council, Canberra. The event was organized to express solidarity with Kashmir and to maintain the inclusion of Canberra in the list of those cities of the world that care for the predicament of Kashmiris.
The seminar following the exhibition began by a welcome address by Mr Javed Butt, President, Kashmir Solidarity Council. Mr Butt highlighted the fact that Kashmir was the oldest unresolved issue. He stressed that the civilized world must not neglect the issue as the region was now ornate with nuclear installations.
Ms Waleeja Zahoor, a young voice of Canberra, presented an overview of the issue reminding audience how the atrocities were and still are continuing in the valley. She called for the human conscious to wake up and assist Kashmiris in achieving their right of self determination. “I fail to understand that we can solve the problem of East Timor but when it comes to Kashmir we remain silent”, she regretted.
Collective silence of the world was also regretted by Mr Iqbal Khan, an executive of Kashmir Solidarity Council. In his words, “Ultimate tragedy was not the oppression by bad people but the silence of good people”. That was the main reason why the issue was still unresolved, Mr Khan pointed out.
Mrs Kahlida Qureshi, a Canberra veteran of Kashmir origin and an active social worker, covered the women perspective. She said that the continued violence against women has shattered family structure in Kashmir. “There is an endless number of ‘half widows’ living in fear and hope in Kashmir” she pointed out. She wondered whether some one has ever bothered to find out the psychological cost of the issue.
Mrs Huma Cheema, another women voice, presented horrifying statistics and stressed that Kashmir has become the biggest unresolved human right issue of the modern world. She stressed the need to increase awareness of the issue in Australia.
The last speaker Dr Ejaz Qureshi, who also hails from Kashmir, discussed the age old issue of distribution of water between India and Pakistan, focusing on the issue of Kashmir. An unresolved water issue, he said, could further aggravate tension between the two countries making a peaceful solution of Kashmir completely out of sight. This would further deepen grievances of Kashmiris, he concluded. He proposed setting up of a High Level Task Force by India and Pakistan to resolve the water distribution issue, which in his opinion would have a positive impact on the issue of Kashmir.
Mr Mohammed Ali, another executive member of Kashmir Solidarity Council, praised Canberra for its support of the human cause. He thanked all speakers and participants particularly those ‘aussie-aussie’ participants who spared their precious time to attend. He also thanked the Pakistan government for its resolve and unwavering support for Kashmir.
Among the dignitaries who attended the seminar were Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan in Australia, Mr Tasawar Khan, Defence Attaché of Pakistan, Brig Zahoor Ahmad, President Pakistan Australia Friendship Association Canberra, Mr Ali khurram, President Cultural Association of Canberra, Mr Khawar Saleem and Dr Willie Senanayake & others.
