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Clinton urged to

play vigorous role

for Kashmir solution

ISLAMABAD: The AJK government and APHC leaders on Saturday made an impassioned appeal to US President Bill Clinton to play a "vigorous and much-needed role" for an early settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir conflict "for a peaceful world and arms-race-free South Asia."

A memorandum, signed by AJK Prime Minister Sultan Mahmood, APHC leaders and former AJK leaders, also appreciated Washington's principled stand on Kashmir and said the world leaders owe an active role for settlement of the conflict.

"For a peaceful world, for a nuclear and arms-race-free South Asia and for tension-free neighbourhood between India and Pakistan we urge Your Excellency to play a vigorous and much needed role for an early settlement of the Kashmir conflict," the memorandum, to be presented to Bill Clinton, said.

The signatories earnestly felt that in the wake of South Asia's nuclearisation and arms race it has become a "foremost responsibility of the world leaders to actively associate themselves with the process of resolving the 52-year old issue whether one of the parties to the dispute likes it or not."

The Kashmiri leaders underlined that contrary to much prevailing orthodoxy, the Kashmir conflict does not stem primarily from India-Pakistan squabbles or interlopers from Afghanistan or Pakistan.

"It is driven overwhelmingly by indigenous Kashmiri resistance fuelled by human rights brutalities and denial of self-determination, promised to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by the United Nations."

They appreciated Clinton's efforts for peace and the principled US stand on Kashmir that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory awaiting a peaceful settlement in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of its people.

The leaders "sincerely and warmly" welcomed Clinton's visit to South Asia.

"On behalf of the Kashmiris living out other side of the Cease Fire Line (a line of terror and inequity that deserves to be wiped out because it has separated families and served as a protecting wall for massive violation of human right), we thank Your Excellency for expressing concern over Kashmir and its suffering people."

The memorandum was also signed by Syed Mohammad Yousaf Naseem APHC convener, Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum Khan, former prime ministers Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Hayyat Khan (R), former president Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Abdul Rashid Turrabi, Member Legislative Assembly, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Khan, Member Legislative Assembly, Malik Abdul Majeed, Chief Justice (R) of Azad Kashmir High Court, president Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Leage Raja Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi, Member Legislative Assembly, President Peoples Party (N), Ghulam Mohamad Safi, General Secretary APHC, Professor Mohamad Ashraf Saraf, Member Central Executive APHC, Mir Tahir Masood, Member Central Executive APHC, Altaf Hussain Qadri Member Central Executive APHC, and Mohamamd Sideeq, Member Central Executive APHC.ÑAPP