APHC Stresses Kashmir Dispute as Key Barrier to Peace Between Pakistan and India

The Kashmir conflict remains a significant hurdle, not only to peace between Pakistan and India but also to the prosperity of the South Asian region as a whole.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has highlighted the Kashmir dispute as the primary obstacle preventing peaceful relations between Pakistan and India. According to the APHC, this unresolved issue is hindering peace, progress, and economic development in South Asia. Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, a spokesman for the APHC, made these comments while addressing a youth group in Srinagar.

Minhas emphasized that lasting peace and good relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors cannot be achieved unless significant progress is made on resolving the Kashmir issue. He stated that the Kashmir dispute remains a critical challenge to regional stability, underscoring the need for a solution to foster mutual trust and cooperation between the countries.

The APHC spokesman expressed the group’s support for peaceful, friendly ties between Pakistan and India. He reiterated that the APHC is open to any efforts aimed at resolving the Kashmir conflict. However, Minhas made it clear that a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue can only be reached through a structured dialogue process involving Pakistan, India, and the authentic Kashmiri leadership, as outlined in the United Nations resolutions.

Minhas also raised concerns about the ongoing human rights violations in Kashmir. He called on the international community to take notice of the severe abuses that have occurred in the region, particularly the extrajudicial killings carried out in the name of fake encounters. These violations, which have been ongoing since 1989, have yet to see justice, leaving the victims’ families without accountability.

The APHC spokesman further stressed that the Kashmir conflict cannot be resolved through the creation of ineffective political structures or by transferring authority to a Lieutenant Governor with limited powers. He pointed out that such measures do not address the core issue of Kashmir’s political status and would not lead to a sustainable solution. The only viable resolution, according to Minhas, is a tripartite dialogue that involves all parties to the dispute, following the principles outlined in the UN resolutions.

The Kashmir conflict remains a significant barrier to peace and stability in South Asia. Until this issue is addressed through a comprehensive dialogue involving Pakistan, India, and the genuine Kashmiri leadership, lasting peace and progress in the region will remain elusive.