J&K Liberation Cell, Journalists agree to jointly highlight Kashmir issue

Muzaffarabad :The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell and the journalist community of the capital city, Muzaffarabad, have agreed to make joint efforts to effectively highlight the Kashmir issue and the Kashmir freedom movement at national and international levels, raise awareness about the alleged serious human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and educate the younger generation about the constitutional, legal and political dimensions of the Kashmir issue.

Office-bearers and representatives of the Central Press Club, TV Journalists Association and AKNS assured their full cooperation and comprehensive coverage of the events and programmes organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell.

A consultative session with journalists of the capital city, Muzaffarabad, was organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell at the Conference Room of the Kashmir Policy Research Institute (KPRI). The session was attended by Director National Awareness Wing Sardar Sajid Mahmood, Media Coordinator Sardar Ali Shan, Assistant Director Mudassar Abbasi, Babar Bashir, Matloob Hussain, Secretary General of the Central Press Club Shehzad Lolabi, President of the TV Journalists Association Asif Raza Mir, senior columnist Syed Arif Bahar, former Secretary General of AKNS Zaheer Ahmed Jagwal, Vice Chairman of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Press Foundation Sardar Zulfiqar Ali, senior journalist Muhammad Arif Urfi, Ishtiaq Ahmed Atish, Farooq Mughal, Abdul Waheed Khan, Nadeem Shah, senior journalist Roshan Mughal, former Secretary General of the Central Press Club Raja Iftikhar Ahmed, AKNS’s Khawaja Abdul Rasheed, Ms. Alisha Andaleeb, Ms. Madiha Abbasi, Chaudhry Khursheed, Asif Mughal, Syed Ijaz Kazmi, Akbar Mughal, Imtiaz Chaudhry and other senior journalists.During the consultative session, various proposals were discussed to effectively highlight the Kashmir issue and the Kashmir freedom movement at national and international levels. It was agreed that joint measures would be undertaken through mutual consultation. It was emphasized that print and electronic media, along with various social media platforms and all effective modern means of communication, would be utilized to present the Kashmir issue in its true context. Coordinated efforts would be made with the cooperation of the journalist community.

Speaking on the occasion, Director National Awareness Wing, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell, Sardar Sajid Mahmood, and Media Coordinator Sardar Ali Shan said that journalism is the fourth pillar of the state, while in the present era, the media is an effective force and an important means of shaping public opinion. They said that the purpose of the consultative session was to seek guidance and suggestions from the media and formulate a policy through which the Kashmir freedom movement and the Kashmir issue could be highlighted more effectively.They said that practical measures would be taken in light of the proposals put forward by the journalist community and that the process of consultation would continue in the future. A strategy would be formulated through mutual consultation while keeping in view the prevailing circumstances and the requirements of the time.

They said that the right to self-determination is a longstanding demand of the Kashmiri people and that mutual cooperation and consultation among all relevant stakeholders are essential for effectively highlighting this demand. They said that efforts made so far to highlight the Kashmir issue at the international level need to be further strengthened and that an actionable policy would be formulated and implemented in light of the suggestions put forward by the journalist community.

They further said that the valuable suggestions presented by journalists would also be conveyed to the relevant higher forums so that coordinated and result-oriented measures could be taken to effectively highlight the various dimensions of the Kashmir issue.

On the occasion, they also expressed their gratitude, on their own behalf as well as on behalf of Secretary Kashmir Affairs Chaudhry Abdul Rehman and Director Administration & KPRI Dr. Raja Muhammad Sajjad Khan, to all media representatives for attending the consultative media session. They expressed the hope for their continued cooperation in the future and assured the journalists and media representatives of their full possible cooperation in highlighting the Kashmir issue and the Kashmir freedom movement.