Istanbul, Turkey: “The demand of the people of Kashmir is very simple. They want to be free of Indian military occupation and to decide their future by a democratic vote, impartially supervised. A mechanism for the exercise of this right has already been defined by the United Nations Security Council. This mechanism needs to be activated and implemented. Once the international community takes the civilized course of ascertaining the wishes of the Kashmiri people, it will bring peace and prosperity not only to Kashmir but to the whole region of South Asia,” this was stated by Dr. Ghulam Nanbi Fai, Chairman, ‘World Forum for Peace & Justice’ during the inaugural session of the Ninth Annual Assam Congress in Istanbul. 

Dr. Fai added that the Kashmir dispute has an international dimension because it has the sanctity of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions and has become a big hurdle or obstacle in the growth and stability of both India and Pakistan. The unresolved conflict over Kashmir threatens the international peace and security of the world as we witnessed in May 2025 when both these neighbors were at the brink of nuclear confrontation. As reported the intervention of President Donald Trump brokered the ceasefire and guns remained silent. But the ceasefire is not the solution. The solution is to give the 23.5 million people of Kashmir right to self-determination. 

“The voices of Kashmiri leaders, activists, and ordinary citizens must be heard, not silenced behind prison walls. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved through repression. Rather, it requires dialogue, trust-building, and the assurance that justice and dignity are upheld for all people. The release of political prisoners, including Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Masarat Aalam, Aasia Andrabi and others would send a powerful message — that the future of Kashmir lies in peaceful resolution, mutual respect, and democratic engagement. Without such a step, the cycle of mistrust and conflict will only deepen,” Fai asserted. 

Dr. Fai reinforced that the press is being silenced in Kashmir. The Kashmir Press Club has been forcibly closed, and journalists are harassed, summoned for questioning, or stopped from traveling. Free reporting gave way to fear and silence. Today, soldiers are stationed everywhere, in markets, schools, even private homes. Peaceful protests are broken up with tear gas, pellet guns that have blinded hundreds, and mass arrests. Public gatherings to honor the dead are banned, graveyards of martyrs are barricaded on memorial days, extrajudicial killings are staged as “encounters,” and many enforced disappearances remain unaccounted for. 

“It is high time for the United Nations to play a more proactive and effective role in facilitating lasting peace in Kashmir by allowing people to exercise their right to self-determination as guaranteed under UN Security Council resolutions. Peace is a shared responsibility, as the repercussions of conflict transcend borders and affect global stability. We must work collectively to silence the guns, alleviate human suffering, and foster an environment of dialogue, stability, and sustainable prosperity for all,” reasoned Dr. Fai 

Professor Melih Tanriverdi, President of ‘Just Defender Strategic Studies Center’ (ASSAM) said in his inaugural speech that the vision of General Adnan Tanriverdi on the issue of Palestine, Kashmir and elsewhere has once again demonstrated to the entire world that Turkey is a country with a voice not only in its region but also in the conscience of all humanity.  
 
Professor Melih Tanriverdi added that at the summit held in Egypt on Gaza, amid many leaders who portrayed themselves as ‘representatives of peace,’ Turkey emerged as the true voice of peace. Even Donald Trump, in his bid for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, remarked that he took an example from the policy of peace exemplified by the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 

“India’s settler-colonial policies in Kashmir, including coercing students to recite Vande Bharat, violate fundamental religious freedoms. We stand united with the people of Kashmir and will continue to amplify their voice,” Professor Melih emphasized. 

Professor Melih warned that just as many only began to re-examine the situation in Gaza after the events of October 7, must we wait for a similar tragedy in Kashmir to draw global attention to its plight? It is imperative to ask how the 2.5 billion-strong Islamic world can remain mere spectators to the unfolding suffering in Gaza, Kashmir, and elsewhere in the world. 

Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai is also the Secretary General 

World Kashmir Awareness Forum 

WhatsApp: 1-202-607-6435. Or. gnfai2003@yahoo.com 

www.kashmirawareness.org