The Amanulah faction of Jammu andKashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) has said that rejection of nominations of itscandidates for forthcoming legislative assembly polls in Pakistan occupied Kashmir(PoK) after JKLF refused to sign declaration accepting Kashmiri's accession to Pakistanhas made mockery of Islamabad's commitment to the right of self determination ofKashmiri people.
"The nomination papers of the JKLF candidates have been rejected becausethey had declared that they believed in independence of `Jammu and Kashmirstate' instead of declaring that they believed in the state's accession to Pakistan,"JKLF (Amanulah) chief Amanulah Khan said at a press conference in Islamabad.
"This is a gross violation of human and democratic rights of Kashmirisand contrary of Pakistan's declared stand on Kashmir issue. It is unfortunatethat Pakistan's deeds are so different from her oft-repeated claims ofrespecting Kashmiris wishes and aspirations", he said.
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JKLF had filed 31 nominations for the 48-member PoK assembly for which theelections would be held on July 5. Their nominations were rejected on Thursdayon the ground that they failed to sign a declaration accepting Kashmir'saccession to Pakistan.
Khan, who stayed put in Pakistan after he was deported from Britain in 1988for his alleged violent activities advocates complete independence for Kashmirfrom the rule of India and Pakistan.
This was first time that his party, which was banned in India, wished tocontest the polls in PoK and also the first time that a Pakistan based politicalparty raised such an objection to the accession clause, which has beenintroduced by Pakistan government in 1971.
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Khan said not only the authorities rejected their nominations but alsolaunched a crackdown on the JKLF partymen all over PoK. He alleged that a numberof his partymen was beaten up as well as arrested for taking out rallies toprotest the rejection of the nominations.
Amanulah Khan also reiterated his stand that the forthcoming summit between Indiaand Pakistan would not solve the Kashmir problem .
"Bilateral talks on Kashmir issue has no use. Such talks have not madeany impact in the past", he said adding Kashmiris should be involved in anyquest for solution to the Kashmiri issue.
He said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee appeared serious in resolving theissue but he was surrounded by `hawks' who prevented a meaningful dialogue on Kashmir.
Khan also extended full support to Islamic militant groups, who conducted jihadioperations in Kashmir. Stating jihad was a freedom struggle, he saidoperations by Islamic militant groups and the talks to resolve Kashmir issuecould be conducted simultaneously.
