Addressing a meeting in connection with IoK Solidarity Day at the High Commission on Monday evening, Hasan said the Kashmir will remain central to Pakistan's foreign policy because the issue has remained very near to the heart of the Government in power.
He referred to the Indo-Pakistan foreign secretaries talks in Thimphu, capital of Bhutan, and said diplomacy and dialogue will eventually lead to the main topic of IoK when the respective Foreign Ministers meet at a mutually agreed dates.
He said the entire Pakistan nation observed the IoK Solidarity Day in a befitting manner and reiterated their pledge for the right to self-determination of the people of IoK and resolve the issue in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council.
The High Commissioner noted that the decision to observe IoK Solidarity Day was taken by late Prime Minister Z.A. Bhutto in 1976 and later revived by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto during her first term as the prime minister.
Hasan also disclosed that the Shaheed Mohatarma played a crucial role in securing the observer status for All Party Hurriyet Conference in the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) in 1990.
"She undertook a tour of 16 Muslim countries and convinced its leadership to support the observer status for APHC in the OIC. This aptly shows how close the IoK issue had been to the party leadership."
He also recalled how the Labour Party passed a resolution on IoK during its annual party conference in 1995 that became a part of party's manifesto. The Labour Party, he said, admitted that IoK was an unfinished agenda of the partition and since Labour was in Government in the UK at that time, it felt it was its duty to help resolve the issue.
The High Commissioner said that while Pakistan will continue to offer moral, political and diplomatic support to the cause of IoK, the Kashmiri community in the UK needs to sink its differences and present a united front.
He was of the view that British Kashmiri women also ought to play a more pro-active role in espousing the cause of IoK as they can raise their voices in a effective manner.
On this occasion, messages of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani issued on the IoK Solidarity Day were also read out.
Kashmir-origin member of House of Lords, Lord Qurban Husain in his brief remarks said he was totally committed to the cause of IoK and will take every opportunity to raise the issue in the upper chamber. He further said he plans to brief his fellow lords on the IoK issue.
At the same time, he called for educating and creating more awareness among the new Kashmiri generation on Kashmir and to apprise them of the importance of the issue and its implications for the regional peace.
Author and journalist Victoria Schofield who has written a number of books on IoK, said the issue has been hanging fire for 64 years which was awfully long time and the dispute needs to be resolved for the future generation. "We need to put IoK out of cold storage for which dialogue is essential between Pakistan, India and the IoK leadership," she stated.
She underscored the need for working out a framework for IoK which according to her must serve as a bridge of friendship between Pakistan and India and not a bone of contention.
A number of Kashmiri leaders including Prof. Nazir Ahmed Shawl, Maulana Muhammad Yaqoob Chisti, Chaudhry Muhammad Azeem, Qari Tahir Tayyab, Rubina Shameem, Irshad Malik, Muhammad Ayub, Prof.Zafar Khan also spoke on the occasion and reflected on the various aspects of the issue.
A 25-minute video documenting crime against humanity and the atrocities committed by the Indian forces on the people of IOK was also shown on the occasion. A collective 'dua' for the welfare of the people of IoK and early solution of the issue was also offered at the conclusion.