US lawmaker, scholars urge Washington’s diplomatic effort toward Kashmir settlement

WASHINGTON, March 10 — U.S. Congressman Dan Burton and Kashmiri scholars urged Washington to step up its diplomatic engagment towards resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute in accordance with wishes of the people. Speaking at a reception hosted in his honor by Kashmiri-American Council, Burton, who is member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, vowed to raise the issue at Congressional forums.

He said he would write to top U.S. Administration officials to fulfil their pledges to address the sufferings of Kashmiri people in the light of reports about violence, mass graves and public opinion brought to his notice by Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, head of the Kashmiri-American Council. He also committed to make efforts toward formation of a Kashmir caucus.

Congressman Dan Burton said, Kashmir’s political status has been disputed almost since the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947.

Although the 1949 U.N. cease-fire agreement declared that the state’s future would be determined by its citizens through a free and impartial plebiscite, no plebiscite has ever been held.”

Around 700,000 Indian military and paramilitary forces are still up there and keeping everything under wraps, he noted. “They are patrolling the streets and there are still some horrible tragedies that are taking place—I heard of the discovery of more than 4,000 mass graves in Kashmir, and until just the last few months, we haven’t heard of these new things that have been going on.”

The Republican legislator said he would once again go to the floor of the Congress and make sure the entire world and the Congressional Record has all these tragedies accounted for, so that the American people and the people across the world will have more information about the horrible things that the people of Kashmir are having to go through.

“You may rest assured, I’ll make these details public so that the world know what’s going on over there. And, we will continue to fight. I will continue to fight,” he said, according to Kashmiri-American Council.

Welcoming the lawmaker, Dr Fai maintained the Kashmir dispute will not and cannot be solved bilaterally by India and Pakistan and that Kashmirs’ participation is absolutely imperative for a lasting and just solution to the dispute. The political representatives of the people of Kashmir must be included in any talks process.

“It also needs the persuasion of the United States with both India and Pakistan.”

He said the Security Council of the United Nations should be asked to play a real facilitating role.

Attorney Mumtaz Wani, a Kashmiri scholar, insisted that the leadership of the people of Kashmir must be included in talks along with India and Pakistan. He reminded the Obama Administration of its promise to appoint a special envoy on Kashmir. (PNA/APP) ALM/rsm

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