Kashmir Study Group founder calls on PM Imran Khan in US

NEW YORK: Founder of Kashmir Study Group Farooq Kathwari called on Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday in New York to discuss the prevailing situation in Indian occupied Kashmir.

During the meeting, the prime minister urged Kathwari, a Srinagar-born Kashmiri-American, to further highlight the grave situation resulting from India’s illegal occupation of occupied Kashmir and its blatant human rights violations so as to expose the real face of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to the world

Kathwari on the occasion highlighted the Kashmir Study Group’s earlier engagement on the dispute and efforts for conflict resolution.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Naeem-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi, Ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed Khan and other senior officials were present in the meeting.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Qureshi told reporters that the prime minister wanted to listen to Kashmiris from both parts of Kashmir ahead of his speech to the UN General Assembly on September 27

Qureshi said the main objective of prime minister’s visit to US was to highlight the Indian atrocities in the valley.

Speaking to the media in New York, the foreign minister said PM Imran will hold meetings with heads of different states and Kashmiri delegation.

The foreign minister added that the Ehsaas Programme launched in Pakistan will also be discussed during these meetings as this program is very important to achieve sustainable development goals.

PM Imran arrived in New York on Saturday to lead the Pakistan delegation to the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The prime minister will address the 193-member Assembly on Friday (September 27) sharing Pakistan’s perspective and position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and its current human rights and related dimensions.

He will enunciate Islamabad’s position on key global and regional issues before one of the largest gatherings of leaders from around the world.

The prime minister will specifically focus on the deteriorating situation in the valley, particularly the grave violations of human rights taking place there, since August 5 when the Indian government revoked the special status of the valley.

During his week-long visit to US, the prime minister is expected to make a clarion call on the international community and the United Nations to live up to their promise of the right to self-determination of Kashmiris in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Prime Minister Imran Khan during his seven-day visit, will hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts, including United States President Donald Trump on Monday (September 23) and participating in high-level UN summits on climate change, sustainable development, universal health coverage and financing for development.

During his visit, the prime minister will also attend and speak at high-level side events co-hosted by Pakistan and Turkey on countering hate speech and on environmental protection and poverty alleviation, co-hosted by Malaysia and Pakistan.

A trilateral summit meeting of Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey will be held on the General Assembly session’s sidelines.

The prime minister will interact with international media outlets, including meetings with editorial boards. Speaking engagements at leading think-tanks, including the Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society, and meetings with heads of major international human rights organisations are also on his schedule.

Prime Minister’s visit will further reinforce Pakistan’s abiding commitment to the UN Charter, international law and cooperative multilateralism, with the UN at its core.

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