Mushaal highlights double standards in global discourse on Kashmir and Palestine

Islamabad: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment Mushaal Hussein Mullick on Wednesday highlighted the prevailing double standards in the global discourse on Kashmir and Palestine.

She was addressing a seminar on “US policies on the issues of Kashmir and Palestine”, organized by Area Study Center for Africa, North and South America of the Quaid-e-Azam University.

The event, which saw participation from distinguished speakers including Ambassador of Iran in Pakistan Reza Amiri Mughaddam, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Ambassador Ali Sarwar Naqvi, and Ambassador Naila Chohan, drew a significant audience comprising students, media professionals, and members of civil society.

Mushaal said the world appeared to be divided between those who supported the oppressive regimes and those who advocated for the rights of the oppressed. In the contemporary global landscape, she added, moral values and principles took a back seat to economic opportunities, power dynamics, and materialistic gains.

She pointed out the shifts in the United States policies towards Kashmir and Palestine, which, she said, were dictated by their own strategic interests rather than a steadfast commitment to democratic principles, human rights, and the right to self-determination.

Mentioning the escalating deterioration of the global human rights situation over time, she lamented that genocide had seemingly become an unfortunate new norm in international affairs. She highlighted the plight of the people in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and underscored the challenges faced by minorities within India due to oppressive policies of the fascist regime.

She asserted that addressing the challenges in Kashmir and Palestine was indispensable for global peace and lasting security.

Mushaal pointed out the connection between the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and Palestine while emphasizing their shared objective of seeking freedom from oppressive occupying forces. She lamented that both India and Israel exhibited a lack of genuine interest in pursuing peaceful resolutions to the two longstanding issues.

She asserted that humanity itself was being buried alive in the two regions under the weight of oppression. She emphasized the imperative for unity and collaboration among the people of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine in their unwavering commitment to unarmed resistance. She said that Palestine cause was close to the hearts of Pakistanis and the people of IIOJK.

 Mushaal stressed on formulating innovative strategies for the freedom movements in IIOJK and Palestine in wake of the alarming trend of silencing peaceful voices through various means. She raised concerns regarding the unjust and dubious trial of Kashmiri Hurriyat Leader Mohammad Yasin Malik by India and condition of other Hurriyat leaders jailed in India .

 The SAPM witnessed the artwork displayed in the art gallery, depicting the lives of the people of Kashmir and Palestine under occupation and recorded her remarks on the Wall of Solidarity for the People of Kashmir and Palestine. She also extended her thanks to the seminar organizers, terming it a significant stride in educating the new generation about the pressing issues of Kashmir and Palestine.