Notwithstanding the fact that Kashmir is the oldest unresolved issue present on the agenda of the UN Security Council since 1949, India has remained unchecked for blocking all efforts made for its resolution thus far. There is a dire need to encompass the anomaly in the research and academic work being produce in Pakistan, and young scholars and academics can play their part in this regard by highlighting the intricacies of the matter and exposing the hollowness of the Indian stance over the issue on the back of a comprehensive and evidence-based research.
This was held by Chairman IPS Khalid Rahman while delivering a presentation titled ‘Kashmir Situation: Setting the Framework for Research Work on the Issue’ during his talk with the undergrad students of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, who were visiting IPS on May 24, 2022 on an exposure trip. Hailing from the History Department of the University, the students were in the midst of a newly introduced course on Kashmir and their visit to IPS was aimed at introducing them with the Institute, its activities, and the contributions it has made over the years on a number of issues, especially on the matters relating to Kashmir affairs.
Responding to different questions raised by the young scholars, Chairman IPS emphasized that Kashmir is not a territorial dispute between Pakistan and India, but a denial of the UN-granted right of self-determination of about 12 million people. Young scholars must appreciate the point that under Article 257 of its constitution, Pakistan has given Kashmiris the right to decide about their future through an independently held referendum, India on the other hand has occupied more than two-third of Kashmir and has used every conceivable tactic to perpetuate it in last seven decades.
Earlier, IPS’ GM Operations Naufil Shahrukh introduced the students with IPS’ background, its areas of research and its contributions spanning over forty years on numerous issues. He underscored that the Institute has developed a strong institutional relationships and linkages with several top-notch universities and educational institutions in Pakistan and is facilitating their research scholars to conduct in-depth work in various policy-oriented arenas.
Head of QAU’s History Department Dr Fakhar Bilal in the end expressed special thanks to IPS for an insightful presentation by Chairman IPS on Kashmir issue. He briefly discussed the contours of the newly introduced course on Kashmir and hoped that it shall contribute duly in producing the required scholarship over the concerning affairs of Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
