Germany support Kashmiris for their basic rights: Mr Andreas Von Barandt

Berlin: 14 June, 2012

A high level meeting took place between the official of the German Foreign Office Mr. Andreas Von Brandt and the delegation of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), led by Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Chairman of the Party while Nasir Aziz Khan spokesperson of the Party, General Secretary of Party Belgium Branch, Jamil Maqsood and Usman Kiani president of the Party’s United Kingdom branch were also accompanying and assisted Party chair in the briefing.

Mr. Andreas warmly received Party delegation and get them to his office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in old Communist Party building in Berlin.

Mr. Andreas told the delegation that he has been serving in Islamabad and also have been visiting Muzaffarabad (Pakistani Administered Kashmir), after deadly earthquake in 2005. He also described German contribution aftermath that natural disaster which cost thousands of lives in Muzaffarabad, Bagh and some areas of District Poonch. He also told the delegation that his Government is putting its donations and contributions through None Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to give people more relief and rehabilitation. He regrettably said that the corruption is one of the biggest problems in Pakistan that’s why we are not giving money to the Government.

In his comments he also reiterated his Government stance on terrorism and asked question from the head of the delegation that what position of his party on this subject?

Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri thanked him for the meeting and courtesy he showed and briefing of his visits to Islamabad and Muzaffarabad. Mr. Kashmiri appreciated donations and constructive work of the German NGOs in earthquake hit areas. On the issue of Terrorism he said that since inception our party is against all forms of violence and extremism.

Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri told the German Official about constitutional restraints in the area. He said that according to imposed act of 1974, we can’t take part in elections as it says that “NO person or political party can take part in activates prejudicial or detrimental to the ideology of state accession to Pakistan” No local officer is promoted as chief secretary, Inspector general of Police, Secretary Finance and Secretary of Health.

Mr. Andreas asked about the ethnic problem in broader perspective? Mr. Kashmiri said that basically we in Pakistani Administered Kashmir are ethnically discriminated, the role of powerful lent officers and above all General Officer Commanding (GOC), Murree has a total authority in local political and economical affairs of the both regions under Pakistan. No judge in the local judiciary is appointed contrary to the acceptance from the bureaucracy of Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and secret agencies. There is no merit in local recruitment in various departments. All the local jobs have and development projects have been distributed among kith and kins and also on party lines. The major schemes of public interests are misused to promote pro-Pakistan political parties in the region.

Mr. Andreas surprisingly asked that it is very strange that Muttahida Qaumi Movement ( MQM), is allowed to contest elections of the local legislature and they are in Muzaffarabad, but why not Kashmiris who are speaking for human rights and development of the area?

Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri replied that it is very unfortunate that Pakistan didn’t change its policies towards us. They are still following the policies orchestrated by secret agencies.

But unfortunately Pakistan is using both terrorism and extremism to advance its agenda in the region. We have had heralded world community in early 90s that this policy would hinder and effect economical growth and political stability and would also deteriorate human rights conditions inside Pakistan and it would have dire consequences on the entire region. Commenting on the status of Pakistani Administered Kashmir (the so called Azad Kashmir), Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, said that there is big connection between this region and terrorism in the region. The roots of undemocratic forces can be found in this region where there is no rule of law the local authority or the Government doesn’t function independently. Pakistani military has established training camps in the region which are used in the guise of military stations in various areas of the region.

The terrorist who are trained in that area are sent to the neighbouring countries like Afghanistan and India. Despite tall claims of successive Pakistani Governments that they are partners in the war on terror and the top wanted terrorist Osama Bin laden was caught within Pakistan. That shows Pakistan willingness to curb terrorism and extremism from the country and also in the region.

Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, vehemently said that we are pro-peace and per-people. We have always supported peace initiatives between both countries. We had supported bus service and intra-Kashmir trade. We are in the favour of more cross border interaction between all divided regions of the state. We demand that the line of control (LOC), should be opened on Gilgit, Baltistan and Ladakh side so that people of that region should also benefitted of ongoing peace and confidence building measures between both countries. We appreciate international brokers in peace deal between Pakistan and India. We in many press conferences, seminars and in conferences emphasized that all international actors despite using Pakistani soil for their own national interest should support democratization of the country and also support human rights of the people of Pakistani peripheries. In one of our seminar we have particularly discussed China’s role in the region and in former princely state of Jammu & Kashmir. We expect that regional actors would not support any hostile force in Pakistan. The mafia style of governance should end now and killing of innocent political workers in Balochistan should also end.

Taking part into the discussion Jamil Maqsood also appreciated German Government and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), role during 2007, resolutions in the European parliament. He told that billions of dollars have been pumped to Pakistan in 2005 to rehabilitate effected people. But all that money is either gone to the pockets of Pakistani military generals who were heading and employees of the ERRA (Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Authority). These generous donations of the international community were misused and have spent on miscellaneous and unproductive expenditures. Jamil Maqsood told him that in my last visit to the area I have seen many projects which were distributed on political grounds and among like minded people actually political motivated contractors have taken all the money and left the projects uncompleted.

According to the report about 1800, schools in three districts are not completed yet and innocent young students are compelled to continue their studies under open sky. They can’t attend their school during rain and unfavorable weather conditions. The foreigners are not allowed to visit this region independently even for the study purpose.

Taking part in the discussion with Mr. Andreas Nasir Aziz Khan elaborated that the natural resources of the region are badly exploited. We produce electricity but today our people are deprived of energy needs. We are the owner of water but Pakistan refused us to give water of irrigation purposes and other us. Pakistan with the help of local collaborators has sold a ruby mountain to a Canadian company without any open bid. We fear that during this exploration environment of local area would be jeopardized. We demand transparency and accountability in this process and also demanding that the natural resources should be exploited in the best interest of local people and should be utilized to raise living standard of marginalized.

Mr. Andreas asked Usman Kiani about the role of British Kashmiri diaspora and Britain Government as a large number of Kashmiris are residing in that country? Mr.Kiani told him that we are closely in contact with the Britain authorities to emphasize on Pakistan to revive fundamental human rights of the people. Ban on all political activities should be abolished from the constitutional act of 1974.

In the concluding remarks party chair, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri asked Mr. Andreas to use his office for the following while interaction with Government of Pakistan and India.

1.	We emphasize on both countries to establish trade markets in their respective administration so that common people could benefit of intra-Kashmir trade.
2.	We demand of both countries to allow Kashmiri people in all three administrations to travel without any restriction and it should be on the basis of state subject.
3.	We request both countries to encourage students, writers, intellectuals and political activist interaction to bridge the gap and trust deficit between people of the different regions.
4.	We ask Pakistan to withdraw all discriminatory laws in both regions of (so-called Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan). Ban on student union must be lifted up now.
5.	Local bodies’ election should be held as soon as possible so that people could enjoy basic democratic rights at grass root level.
6.	We request international community to support the democratic endeavour of the people of Pakistani Administered Kashmir. And use their influence on Pakistan to demolish terror infrastructure which is still intact in Pakistani Administered Kashmir.
7.	Through this august meeting we also request German Government to use its diplomatic office to ask Pakistan to allow tourists in its peripheries. Use all donations to raise the living standard of the local people. To take pragmatic steps in health, education and development issues of both regions under Islamabad.
8.	Demands through German Foreign Office to ask Pakistan not to sell natural resources of the region. The ownership and good governance are the rights of local people and its must be respected by all sides and in all administrations.
9.	Demanding that culture, language and natural habitat should be protected according to international standards and deforestation in the area must stop now.
10.	Requesting German Foreign Office to use its diplomatic channels with Pakistan to give substantial portion of jobs in all mega-projects started in two regions under their control. The local energy needs must be prioritized.
11.	For the well-being of the people of entire south Asian region we believe that if former Princely state of Jammu & Kashmir is recognised as “ Buffer State” so that purposeless defense budgeting could be spent on social sector development, alleviation of poverty and social justice in the region.

Zahid Mehmood

Media Secretary

United Kashmir People's National Party

Europe Zone

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