Change in Kashmir’s Constitutional Status and Pakistan’s Option
Aug 7
3:00PM to 05:00pm
SDPI's Seminar Hall, 3rd Floor Taimur Chambers, 10-D (WEST), Fazl-ul-Haq Road, Blue Area, Islamabad.
Introduction:
In its recent move, India’s President has issued a controversial decree revoking the special constitutional status of Indian-ruled Kashmir. In a related but separate move, the Indian government has introduced a bill in the Indian Parliament that will reduce the status of Kashmir from a state governed by a chief minister and his cabinet to a union territory to be governed directly from New Delhi.
This constitutional adventurism by the Indian government will not only further undermine the human rights of an already oppressed Kashmiri population but it has also triggered fresh fears of a nuclear war in this part of the world. The fact that India has increased the number of security forces personnel in Kashmir by many thousand, snapped most communication links, arrested all the notable Kashmiri politicians and warned tourists to leave the region.
What could, and also should, Pakistan do in this situation — in order to tell the international community that India’s actions threaten both the rights of Muslim population in Kashmir and the peace between the two countries? What are the peaceful ways and means that Islamabad may still deploy to highlight the illegal as well as the highly provocative nature of New Delhi’s acts?
To discuss these questions and other issues and subjects related to the current situation in Kashmir, we at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) are organising a seminar titled “Change in Kashmir’s Constitutional Status and Pakistan’s Option”
Opening Remarks:
- Mr. Moazzam Sharif Bhatti, Director Advocacy & Outreach, SDPI
Guest of Honour:
- Ms. Mushaal Hussein Mullick, Wife of Hurriat Leader, Yasin Malik (TBC)
Moderator:
- Ms. Ayesha Ilyas, Research Associate, SDPI
Panellists:
- Ahmer Bilal Soofi, Experts on International Law
- Ms. Farzana Yaqoob, Former Minister for Social Welfare and Women Development, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
- Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, PMLN MNA
- Ambassador (R) Abdul Basit, Former High Commissioner of Pakistan to India (TBC)
- General (R) Amjad Shoaib, Defence Analyst
- A Representative from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
- A Representative from, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
- Major General (R) Ijaz Hussain Awan, Defence Analyst (TBC)
The event can be wtch live at: https://sdpi.tv/live.php