The President of Azad Kashmir Sultan Mehmood has visited the Turkish capital Ankara, where he has met with a few ruling AK party Parliamentarians. Sultan Mehmood claims he has requested the formation of a Parliamentary Kashmir Committee, similar to an unproductive Kashmir Committee in the British Parliament.
We have always urged the successive governments of Azad Kashmir to internationalize the Kashmir Issue, but the problem is the Azad Kashmir is not allowed by Pakistan to go far enough. Pakistan is not to be blamed alone for this. It is self-serving and self-centered politicians of Azad Kashmir, who have no courage to represent their people and their aspirations. They advocate bilateralism just to appease Islamabad as their counterparts appease India in the Indian occupied Jammu Kashmir.
On the contrary and quite correctly, the JKLF and several other pro unity groups consider the JK issue as quadrilateral. The prime and affected party is the people of Jammu Kashmir and other three are India, Pakistan and China. The three occupiers can’t just discuss our issue among themselves, but with us. They can’t walk over our heads and carve off our homeland between themselves. Such a solution is neither lasting nor fair. It will only increase the conflicts and the people of the sub-continent deserve peace and prosperity. We hope the wisdom will prevail and justice upheld. We are neither against India nor Pakistan. We just want PEACE With JUSTICE. Otherwise, the Kashmir Committee in the Turkish Parliament is not going to be productive just like about half a century old Kashmir Committee in the British Parliament.
Quayyum Raja's full official name is Abdul Quayyum Raja, but the British press shortened his name when he was arrested in connection with an Indian diplomat kidnapped by his fellow KASHMIRIS in Birmingham in 1984 to save the life of a Kashmiri Hero Muhammad Maqbool Butt hanged by India and buried inside Tihar jail on 11 February 1984. Quayyum Raja is from Azad Jammu Kashmir administered by Pakistan. He acquired various qualifications from EU and UK, including a Master in Psychology & Social Sciences, Journalism and Modern World History. He supports both Pan Islam and Pluralism, which may sound a contradiction, but he claims he can draw a balance. Quayyum Raja spent about 22 years in British jail extra-juducially as a Kashmiri political prisoner. He was released by the European Court of Human Rights on 17 May 2005. He has travelled extensively both before his captivity and after his release.
