CPDR

Islamabad

G U Kyani
The participants of a seminar profoundly condemned the recent civilians’ killings in the Kashmir Valley and reminded government of India its obligation to protect the right to life in accordance with international law unanimously demanding the revocation of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSA), to improve the ground situation and conduct an independent inquiry of the recent used of excessive forces against the civilians including many children.
The participants of the civil society dialogue titled “Chinars' Old Leaves are Falling - Fresh Saplings in the 1st Citizens' Dialogue on Kashmir” jointly organized by the Centre for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR) and the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung fur die Freiheit (FNF), supported by the European Union, assembled on July 11, in Islamabad Hotel, Islamabad.


The participants of the civil society dialogue titled “Chinars' Old Leaves are Falling - Fresh Saplings in the 1st Citizens' Dialogue on Kashmir” jointly organized by the Centre for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR) and the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung fur die Freiheit (FNF), supported by the European Union, assembled on July 11, in Islamabad Hotel, Islamabad.

The participants of the civil society dialogue titled “Chinars' Old Leaves are Falling - Fresh Saplings in the 1st Citizens' Dialogue on Kashmir jointly organized by the Centre for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR) Islamabad and the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung fur die Freiheit (FNF), Jermany supported by the European Union demanded on Sunday welcomed the resumption of the India-Pakistan dialogue and reassured their full support to the upcoming India Pakistan dialogue and reengagement. They unanimously agreed that sustained and long term engagement along with people to people interaction between the masses such as civil society, media and law makers of two countries is a primary need essential to solve all outstanding and long standing disputes in the region through peaceful means and strongly urged India and Pakistan to take effective and assertive measures required to make the renewed process meaningful, productive, and result oriented so that the people of Jammu and Kashmir across LoC could own and wholeheartedly support the peace process in the long run.
Those who participated include Lateef Akbar, Zahid Amin,Zulfikar Abasi, Enayat Ullah Shamali, Mrs Gulzar Fatima, Amb(r) Aarif Kamal, Dr Waleed Rasool, Ershad Mehmood, Dr Shaheena and others.The diverse group of participants including civil society activists, politicians, legislators, journalists, former government officials from Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and refugees settled in Pakistan held an extensive and rigorous debate regarding the upcoming India-Pakistan foreign minister meeting to be held on July 15, in Islamabad to express their support, persistent dedication towards peace process and concerns regarding the resumption of much awaited dialogue process.
It was strongly felt that the favorable environment for talk and forward movement can be created when life, honor and property of people of Jammu and Kashmir is guaranteed.
The participants while appreciating the Confidence Building Measures (CBM), taken by both governments in past demanded they take some creative steps to make them more meaningful and hassle free. They asked Delhi and Islamabad to further facilitate intra-Kashmir travel and trade.

It was ardently felt that the intra-Jammu and Kashmir dialogue had tremendously helped people of former state of Jammu and Kashmir to broaden their understanding about each others’ aspirations and develop common minimum agenda to arrive on a consensus stand.
The participants hoped that both governments would encourage frequent civil society interaction leading to political dialogue through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot route.
The participants urged political leadership of former state of Jammu and Kashmir to develop consensus among them and narrow down their demands and come up with clear vision. In this effect, dialogue on inter-regional followed by intra-Jammu and Kashmir should be facilitated by both Delhi and Islamabad.
The participants of Gilgit-Baltistan favored the democratic process in GB and further expressed that trust deficit and communication gap between people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir do exist which should be bridged through frequent civil society interaction, fostering government level relations, exchange of parliamentarians delegations, political activists, youth groups so to create harmony and comprehensions of the aspiration of the people of GB and AJK.
They urged the government of Azad Kashmir to reserve quota in jobs and educational intuitions for the inhabitants of Gilgit-Baltistan to intact the centuries old bound between the two regions. Likewise, government of GB should also explore and create opportunities where professionals form AJK could contribute.
The participants noted that existence of multiple power centers in Azad Kashmir not only cause mistrust between Islamabad and Muzaffarabad but also hinder the smooth running of the government and delivering of services to the people. Additionally, it was strongly felt that the executives powers vested in the Kashmir Council undermine the democratically elected setup in Azad Kashmir.
To abolish this dual power system, the participants urged Azad Kashmir government and political parties to get robustly sort out these problems thorough sustain dialogue with Islamabad before next state elections in July 2011.
It was suggested that after the 18th constitutional amendment in Pakistan devolution of powers should be swiftly extended to the AJK. In this effect, the already existing constitutional committee should accelerate its consultation process and also seek civil society participation.
In this regard, CPDR offered to hold civil society interactions in all major cities of AJK to gather public opinion.