Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) on Monday night held a symposium “Kashmir and obligation of Muslim World” on the occasion of Kashmir solidarity day at Kababish Restaurant. Renowned Saudi humanist Dr. Abdul Wahab Noor Waly, ex-secretary of World Association of Muslim Youth (WAMY) and chairman of UK-based humanitarian organization & Waqf IDB, was the chief guest. He lauded PRC for focusing on the topic and said that the Kashmir issue is not only Pakistan's but of the Muslim world. They need to assist in resolving the issue, based on the UN resolution, in the best interest of the people. He also urged individuals to assist the Kashmiri widows, orphans, handicapped and other people who lost family members in their struggle and extend support for their survival. “This can be done individually or collectively, by creating NGOs to serve humanity. We should play our humanitarian role,” he stressed. Syed Riaz Bhukhari, President Pakistan Peoples Community KSA, said the issues (Kashmiris and stranded Pakistanis) are linked with Pakistan and it is our obligation to help them (PRC) achieve their goal. He said we should raise the issue of Kashmir in OIC, UN and other international forums to secure the basic rights of Kashmiris. He also urged the Pakistan government to repatriate stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh. Qari Irshadul Haque, vice chairman of Jammu Kashmir Community, said the UN and world powers have double standard i.e. issue of East Timor and Sudan was resolved by plebiscite within few years while Kashmir issue remains unresolved in 65 years. Mohammad Jameel Rathore, General Secretary of Pakistan Journalists, urged the government to create a high level committee to push for Kashmir plebiscite. He also urged immediate measures to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis. Choudhry Riaz Ghumman, President Pak-Saudi Friendship Society, Sardar Rahmat Khan of Kashmir Committee, Hamid Islam Khan, Shamsuddin Altaf, Syed Shehabuddin all spoke and sought urgent measures in solving the Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis issues. Convener Ehsanul Haque thanked the chief guests, speakers, poets and journalists for participating in the symposium. He said that issue of Kashmir needs full attention of international bodies as well as Muslim organizations. Renowned poets Syed Mohsin Alavi, Abdul Qayyum Waseq, Zamurrad Khan Saifi presented poems paying tribute to Kashmiris struggle for their basic rights. Among the resolutions passed was the call to the Pakistan government to move UN, US and other superpowers to influence India on the plebiscite, urging President Zardari to reactivate the Rabita Trust (frozen in October 2001) in order to restart the process of repatriation and rehabilitation of stranded Pakistanis and lauding Majeed Nizami for creating Nawai Waqt fund for stranded Pakistanis, IDB, OBAT Helpers, MWDO for alleviating their miseries.
