EU must link FTA with India to Kashmiris rights: Masood

ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan Monday said the European Union (EU) championing freedom, independence and human rights should not give trade concessions to India as the fascist Modi regime will utilize their wealth to manufacture weapons to use against those demanding freedom, right to self-determination and their fundamental rights.

He expressed these views while welcoming statement of the European Parliament's Human Right Committee Chairman Marie Arena who said the EU must examine the human rights situation in India before negotiating a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with New Delhi.

The AJK president said India has emerged as the worst country in the world in terms of human rights trampling. Excluding the particular section of the Hindu community, all religious minorities are being subjected to hatred, victimization and discrimination, and the Muslims are the specific target of the fascist regime, he added.

The state president asserted that 1.3 billion people of India would have to reap what the BJP regime have been sowing in occupied Kashmir.

Sardar Masood Khan warned that those who are celebrating after putting others homes on fire in occupied Kashmir will soon find this fire engulfing their own homes as per the law of nature.

He called upon the European states before executing socioeconomic agreements with India, they should compel India to respect human rights and freedom of expression in occupied Kashmir as well as the fundamental and democratic right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

They should also stress the Indian government to release political prisoners, ensure fundamental human rights of the citizens and restore civil liberties in the occupied territory.

The AJK president appealed to the European Union, United Nations, United States and the international human rights organizations to conduct an independent investigation into the incidents of the massacre of innocent people, enforced disappearances, torture, rape, sexual violence, and curbs on media, which have been continuing in occupied Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019.

Meanwhile, greeting the nation on the occasion of Pakistan Resolution Day, the AJK President Sardar Masood Khan said this auspicious day had not only set the direction of the struggle of the Muslims of the subcontinent but on the same day, the people of Kashmir led by Amir-e-Millat Maulana Ghulam Haider Khan Jandalvi had linked their future with the new Muslim state of Pakistan and they are committed to this decisions even after 81 years.

In his special message on Pakistan Day, he said Pakistan was undoubtedly the last destination of the Kashmiri people, and they would continue their struggle to achieve the goal of freedom from the Indian yoke and the accession of Jammu and Kashmir state to Pakistan in spite of all out difficulties and conspiracies.

He said the Kashmiri people would compulsorily fulfil their commitment made to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah to accede to Pakistan.