Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai
Chairman
World Forum for Peace & Justice

Kuala Lumpur- An enlightened discussion on “Kashmir and International Sanctity” was held at the IKRAM headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, where Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman of the World Forum for Peace & Justice, emphasized that the Kashmir dispute remains an international issue requiring meaningful international engagement.

Welcoming the participants, Hj. Badlishah Shams Bin Baharin, a global traveler, academic, scholar and President of IKRAM, underscored the seriousness of the Kashmir conflict, noting that India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the dispute. He observed that the demand of the people of Kashmir for the right to self-determination has been addressed in United Nations Security Council deliberations. Dr. Fai noted that Kashmir has international, human-rights, peace and security dimensions, but what distinguishes it from many other conflicts is its international sanctity.

Dr. Fai said that the Kashmir question is one of the oldest unresolved international disputes in the world and that nearly eight decades of experience have demonstrated that it will not disappear by itself. “It is not the inherent difficulties of a solution, but the lack of the will to implement a solution, that has caused the prolonged deadlock over the Kashmir dispute,” he said.

He placed particular emphasis on what he described as the gap between international recognition and meaningful action. “World powers still recognize Kashmir as an international issue, but they have yet to articulate their understanding into a tangible plan of action so that the Kashmir issue is resolved,” Dr. Fai said.

He pointed to the historical record of international involvement, particularly the United Nations Security Council. Resolution 47, adopted on April 21, 1948, specifically addressed the restoration of peace and order and a plebiscite in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Fai argued that the existence of this international record demonstrates that Kashmir was not treated at its inception as merely a bilateral or internal matter.

He also recalled statements and initiatives by successive international leaders concerning Kashmir, including those of U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, as well as statements attributed to Nelson Mandela, Vladimir Putin, Margaret Thatcher, Keizo Obuchi and former World Bank President James Wolfensohn. Very recently, during Pahalgam crisis, President Donald Trump once again offered his office of mediation to resolve the Kashmir dispute. Taken together, he said, these positions illustrate that the international community has repeatedly acknowledged the importance of resolving the Kashmir dispute for peace and stability in South Asia.

“The question before the international community is therefore not whether Kashmir has an international dimension,” Dr. Fai said. “The historical record makes that abundantly clear. The real question is whether the international community is prepared to translate its recognition into a sustained, credible and peaceful process aimed at resolving the dispute.”

Dr. Fai stressed that there can be no military solution to Kashmir and that any durable settlement must take into account the aspirations and rights of the people of Kashmir. He called for an environment conducive to dialogue, including an end to violence, respect for fundamental freedoms, release of all political prisoners, annulling draconian laws, and meaningful engagement among India, Pakistan and Kashmiri representatives.

He further urged major world powers to play a constructive role in encouraging a peaceful negotiating process. Given Kashmir’s impact on relations between India and Pakistan and the broader security of South Asia, he said, the international community has a legitimate interest in helping the parties move from confrontation toward dialogue and a durable settlement.

“The unresolved Kashmir dispute is not only a question for India and Pakistan,” Dr. Fai concluded. “It is a question of peace, security, human rights and international credibility. If the international community recognizes the international sanctity of Kashmir, it should also have the courage and political will to act upon that recognition.”

He emphasized that meaningful international engagement should be directed toward peace, dialogue and a just and durable resolution, for the sake not only of the people of Kashmir but also of regional and global peace and stability.

Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai can be reached at:
WhatsApp: 1-202-607-6435
gnfai2003@yahoo.com