Washington Declaration

Washington Declaration

July 30, 2010

The Kashmiri-American Council and Association of Humanitarian Lawyers held its 11th Annual International Kashmir Peace Conference in Washington, DC from July 29th- 3oth July 2010 entitled “India-Pakistan Relations: Breaking the Deadlock over Kashmir”
Over 300 participants including over 50 academicians, scholars, parliamentarians, journalists, human rights activists, diplomats from India, Pakistan, Jammu & Kashmir, England, Europe and the United States, with different viewpoints, had frank and free deliberations. The participants unanimously adopted the following resolution at the end of the conference:

1. That there must be an early, just and durable resolution to the Jammu & Kashmir dispute taking into account the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir;

2. That the said resolution must be with the participation of all the three parties to the dispute i.e. India, Pakistan and people of Jammu & Kashmir ;

3. The participants acknowledged the right of
Kashmiri Pandits and all other migrants and displaced persons who have left the State since 1947 to return to Kashmir with dignity and honor;

4. That the normalization of relations between India and Pakistan will go a long way in finding such an amicable solution to Kashmir;

5. The participants acknowledged that Pakistan and India have a common stake in addressing long neglected issues of poverty, deprivation and hunger in their respective countries;

6. The participants expressed grave concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir and urged the Indian government to withdraw its armed forces from civilian populated areas and establish an impartial commission with immediate effect to investigate the recent killings in a transparent manner.

7. The participants condemned the efforts to muzzle the press and further expressed need to restore the right to assemble and freedom of expression;
8. The participants also condemned the draconian laws like the Indian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSAPA), the Disturbed Areas Act and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act and demanded withdrawal of these laws.

The draft committee composed of the following members:

1. Ambassador Kuldip Nayar;
2. Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi;
3. Dr. Khalid J. Qazi;
4. Mr. Mohammad G. Zahid. and
5. Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai (host).