Islamabad, Monday, February 3, 2024, the Center for International Strategic Studies AJK (CISS AJK) and the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) organized an commemorative event titled ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day – Honoring Resilience, Amplifying Voices’ featuring renowned speakers, including Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja, and retired Major General Shamrain Salik.
The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions. Both parties committed to enhancing collaboration in research, education, and strategic analysis, recognizing the critical role of security and strategic studies in promoting peace and stability. CISS AJK Executive Director Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja and IRS President Ambassador Johar Saleem signed on the MoU document.
The event began with an address by the President of IRS, who spoke on the modern warfare that is being shaped by narratives aimed at winning hearts and minds. He praised the large audience, seeing it as a sign of strong public support for the Kashmiri cause.
While speaking on the occasion, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed discussed shifting geopolitics in the Middle East and South Asia. He referenced the ethical principle that justice prevails over sheer power, maintaining that righteousness, rather than force, constitutes true strength, implying that strength of oppression dwindles at the end no matter how strong it is. While arguing that India is facing growing diplomatic isolation, he suggested taking the issue of India’s transnational killing network to the International Court of Justice. He criticized Bollywood for serving as India’s propaganda tool by labelling it as an ‘unofficial propaganda ministry of India’. Senator Mushahid also referenced the EU DisinfoLab’s findings on India’s alleged disinformation networks against Pakistan.
In her address, Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja offered her gratitude to IRS for jointly organizing the event with CISS AJK. She described the severe human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOJK), including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and restrictions on religious practices. She criticized India for blocking international monitoring and noted that no Indian soldier has been held accountable for crimes in Kashmir. She also asserted that India’s declining global rankings contradict its image as a rising power and accused the BJP-led government of normalizing state-sponsored terrorism across India’s borders.
Major General retd. Shamrez shed light on global strategic changes, warning of challenges ahead. He noted that Pakistan, despite difficulties, remains resilient and should learn from past mistakes. He expressed regret over Pakistan’s involvement in proxy wars on behalf of the United States and attributed the nation’s current challenges to a persistent lack of visionary leadership. Talking about India, he added that India is now being groomed into a position to fight war China. He linked India’s revocation of Kashmir’s special status to fears over China’s growing influence and the CPEC project, predicting Kashmir’s importance will increase over time.
Another speaker Brigadier retd. Khan stressed that Pakistan’s unwavering attention on Kashmir today strengthens hopes for its future freedom.
