Conference to explore Kashmir solution in Washington this week

WASHINGTON: A number of Kashmiri politicians, experts from India, Pakistan and the United States, plus some Pakistani and Azad Kashmir government leaders will attend the the Fifth International Kashmir Peace Conference here this week.

The conference is being hosted by the Kashmiri American Council and the Association of Humanitarian Lawyers. The theme this year is: The Kashmir dispute and building a peaceful South Asia.

The first session on 14 July will deal with India-Pakistan Relations and how to break the deadlock over Kashmir. Speakers include Pakistan’s Ambassador Jehangir Karamat, Prof Stanley Wolpert of the University of California, Pakistan’s Minister of Religious Affairs Ejazul Haq, Gautam Navlakha of the Economic & Political Weekly, New Delhi and Sardar Sikander Hayat Khan, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The next session will examine “alternative models” for the solution of the Kashmir problem and will be addressed by Riaz H Khokhar, former Pakistani foreign secretary; Dr Subramanum Swamy, president of All India Janata party; Makhdoom Faisal Hayat Khan, Pakistan’s minister of Kashmir Affairs; Prof Robert Wirsing and M Yusuf Buch, special assistant to Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and a noted authority on Kashmir.

The third session of the day will study confidence-building measures and hear from Dr P Ambegaonkar, president of Bridging Nations, Washington; Dr Ghulam N Mir, president World Kashmir Freedom Movement; Dr Douglas Johnston, president International Centre for Religion & Diplomacy; Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, president AJK Muslim Conference and Majeed Tramboo, executive director, Kashmir Centre, Brussels.

The final session of the day will take up Kashmir and human rights. It will hear presentations by Dr Vijay Sazawal, Indo-American Kashmir Forum; Dr Hameeda Banu, University of Kashmir, Srinagar; Ms Karen Parker, Association of Humanitarian Lawyers; Sheikh Tajamul ul Islam, Kashmir Media Service; Lars Rise, member of the Norwegian Parliament; T Kumar, Amnesty International Washington; Dr Khalid J Qazi from Buffalo, New York and Prof Nazir Shawl, Kashmir Centre, London.

The second day of the conference will discuss possible options for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. Moderated by Ms Karen Parker, it will feature Robert Wirsing and Stanley Wolpert. Brief interventions are to be made by Riaz Khokhar, Gautam Navlakha, Douglas Johnston, President, Dr Vijay Sazawal, Lars Rise, T Kumar, Majeed Tramboo, Dr Subramanium Swamy, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, Khalid Hasan, Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, Liaqat Baloch, Senator Aslam Buledi, Ejazul Haq, Sardar Attique A Khan, Prof Nazir A Shawl, Dr Hameeda Banu, M Yusuf Buch, former advisor Farooq Siddiqi, Muhammad Matloob, Mumtaz Hussain Naqvi and Muhammad Najeeb Khan, members of the AJK Council, Faridullah Khan, Sareer, Fazili, Bob Giuda, Member, New Hampshire Assembly, Faiz Rehman, Prof Wasiullah Khan, Dr Faizanul Haq, Mr Raja Muzaffar, Hafiz Sabir and Shaikh Tajamul ul Islam. khalid hasan

Home | National