New York, September 27, 2025 (TW News) __ What became clear today at the United Nations is this: when people set aside their party differences and join hands for a just cause, the impact is undeniable. Hundreds of our brothers, sisters, and well-wishers traveled from across the states to raise their voices together and staged an impressive demonstration at the United Nations headquarters in New York during the speech at Dr. S. Jaishankar, the foreign minister of India to the General Assembly. Their powerful presence sent one message loud and clear to the United Nations: the people of Kashmir, are still living under occupation — despite the promise you made 78 years ago to let them decide their destiny in an internationally supervised referendum. The rally was jointly sponsored by Kashmiri American Communities of New York and Washington Metropolitan areas.

Waving banners and shouting slogans, their demands displaced on the placards and banners carried the messages: “Release Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Masarat Aalam, Aasia Andrabi and other political prisoners”; “Hold India accountable for war crimes”; “Stop Demographic terrorism in Kashmir”; “India criminalizes press freedom in Kashmir”; “End Indian colonization in Kashmir”; “Implement UN resolution on Kashmir”; “Indian army out of Kashmir.”

Dr. Ghulam N. Mir, President, World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF) said that Kashmir is the largest and the oldest foreign occupation, and India the oldest remaining foreign occupier of the world. Indian military-industrial enterprises with the most diabolical political ethos which she has successfully used to ward off the Charter of United Nations and the United Nations Security Council Resolutions, mandating an unfettered plebiscite for self-determination.

Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman, World Forum for Peace & Justice said that for seventy-eight years the people of Kashmir have cried for justice, their voices echoing in the halls of the United Nations but never answered. The United Nations was born to defend the oppressed, and today Kashmir is its greatest test. Even world powers now admit that silence and failed talks cannot heal this wound. Kashmir is not a forgotten dispute, it is the bleeding conscience of humanity, and the measure of our unity.

Dr. Imtiaz Khan, Kashmiri American scholar said, while India, initially, explicitly accepted the Security Council resolutions mandating a free and impartial plebiscite in Kashmir under the auspices of the United Nations, it soon reneged on its own obligation realizing that the people of Kashmir would vote against India in an unfettered plebiscite. Dr. Khan added that the militarization of the state not only had worsened psycho-traumatic situation but it was taking a toll of the state economy, agriculture and production of the state by converting more and more areas into cantonments.

Sardar Imtiaz Khan, National President of JKLF, North America appealed to the world leaders to persuade India to release all political prisoners, including Mohammad Yasin Malik who is facing a life and death situation in notorious Tihar Jail of New Delhi, India. He is suffering from multiple ailments and his health was deteriorating with each passing day in the solitary cell of the jail.

Sardar Taj Khan, Senior Vice Chairman, Kashmir Mission, USA said that as is widely acknowledged and documented internationally, the brutal Indian occupation has led to more than 100,000 civilian deaths, more than 10,000 individuals missing or disappeared, and thousands of Kashmiri women raped. He thanked the Government of Pakistan for defending not only Pakistan but also the territory of Kashmir during India’s invasion in April of 2025.

Sardar Sawar Khan, former Advisor to the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir said that Kashmir was the oldest unresolved international conflict still pending on the agenda of the Security Council. And that Kashmir was the only international dispute where the solution of the conflict – right to self-determination — was suggested by the parties themselves, India and Pakistan.

Raja Mukhtar, National Spokesperson of JKLF, North America said that India’s claim to be the world’s largest democracy but its actions in Kashmir speak otherwise. Rather than seeking to rectify its human rights record, India has legalized its state-sponsored terror in Kashmir. India has illegally detained Yasin Malik, the most popular leader of Kashmir and we demand its unconditional release.

Sardar Zarif Khan, Advisor to the President of Azad Kashmir condemned any restriction of free speech and expression throughout the state of Jammu & Kashmir. World powers must stop the Indian government’s attack on free speech and urge the Indian government to ensure that rights activists, political leaders, and local journalists are allowed to work freely and without harassment in Indian occupied Kashmir.

Rohail Dar, President Pakistan Muslim League, USA said that the festering Kashmir dispute has occasioned two wars between Pakistan and India; and, at present, made the territory the most dangerous nuclear hotspot on the globe. The latest false flag operation literally brought India and Pakistan to the nuclear confrontation. The credit goes to President Tramp who brokered the ceasefire and offered mediation to settle Kashmir conflict.

Khalid Awan, senior leader, Pakistan People’s Party, USA said that our thoughts are with all political prisoners and their family in India occupied Kashmir. He added that right of free speech and free movement, particularly international travel is limited in Kashmir and, in some cases, completely denied.

Raja Razzaq, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League, USA said that the draconian laws enacted by the Government of India in Kashmir provide the enabling environment that encourages and even rewards human rights abuses by India’s military and paramilitary forces. These laws empower the Indian army to commit human rights atrocities with total impunity.

Choudhary Mohammad Ishaq, a recognized community leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu Nationalist party, conditions have further deteriorated, and Kashmir’s limited autonomies have been revoked. The region is on the brink of disaster and genocide. The time to intervene is now.

Sardar Haleem Khan, member, Supreme Council of JKLF, North America said that India, as a signatory to UN resolutions on Kashmir, has disregarded the promised referendum since 1948. The human cost has been devastating, with hundreds of thousands killed and thousands imprisoned, including Yasin Malik, Shabir Shah, and others. Gross human rights violations, civilian killings, and economic exploitation continue. We appeal to the UN and global community to intervene to protect lives and uphold the right to independence.

Sardar Shoaib Irshad, General Secretary, Kashmir American Welfare Association (KAWA) said that the situation in the region is highly explosive. We appeal the United Nations to take practical measures that will dissuade India to indulge in gross human right abuses against innocent Kashmiri population and sway them to participate in tripartite negotiations involving Pakistan and genuine leadership of Kashmir.

Advocate Sardar Imtiaz Khan Garalvi, General Secretary, Kashmir Mission, USA said that Kashmir is going through an untenable existential crisis and must be stopped by international intervention. Kashmiri political prisoners must be set free, and the reign of terror must be stopped.

Ms. Gazala Habib, Chairperson, Friends of Kashmir from Dallas, Texas said that we are here today, to demonstrate our unwavering solidarity with Kashmiri people who are living in the largest open prison under the Indian military rule. We want our brothers and sisters in Indian occupied to know that their sacrifices will never go in vain.

Tayyaba Samina, a well-known human rights activist from Virgina said that despite the growing international awareness of India’s heinous crimes, India has kept on murdering and torturing innocent civilians in Kashmir. The reports of various international NGO’s show that the killing fields in Kashmir continue to be sown with the blood of women, children and young boys.

Sardar Sajid Sawar, a young Kashmir American activist applauded the widespread support for the demonstration at the UN. He said that such kind of activities must never be underestimated. The decision makers at the UN always take serious note of such peaceful processions.

Qazi Mushtaq of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said that the region is facing a devastating occupation and humanitarian crisis. 78 years of Indian military occupation have produced an existential threat, with civic, political and economic life critically suppressed.

Ms. Aqsa Ghulam, a young and bright college student said the Secretary General of the United Nations cannot simply stand by and allow India to continue to kill, torture and maim the people of Kashmir in this way. This must not stand.

Amna Habib, a notable social worker said that it is incumbent upon the United States as the leader of the free world, to take a leadership role in resolving the Kashmir conflict. No one else is in a position to resolve the conflict.

Dr. Amarjit Singh, President, Khalistan Affairs Center appealed to the international community to use its diplomatic, moral and economic leverage with India to fulfill its commitment of the right of self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and allow the people of Khalistan to decide its future according to their own free will.

Sardar Aftab Roshan, prominent human rights activist said that Kashmir is more than a human right issue, it is a freedom struggle for 23 million people of Kashmiris. They are demanding their self-determination right according to the UN resolutions.

Sardar Mehmood Khan, Advisor to the President of Azad Kashmir said that it is a fact that India’s intransigence and the world’s hesitation to fulfill its commitment drove the people of Kashmir to be more assertive in their struggle. He added that we should appraise even the Indian policy makers that it would be impossible for India to become a big-league player with its continuous cruel occupation of Kashmir. India may only achieve its dream if the Kashmiris enjoy living as free people.

Mrs. Qaisra Ramzan of Virginia that the people of Kashmir have made it clear that the final solution of the Kashmir disputes demands that Kashmiri leadership must be the part of negotiations with India and Pakistan. She appealed to the world leaders to persuade India to release Mohammad Yasin Malik who is the symbol of resistence in Jammu & Kashmir.

Aftab Shah, a notable businessman said that the United Nations Security Council enshrined Kashmir’s right to self-determination via plebiscite over 78 years ago – yet this vote has never taken place.

Syed Shuja Maqsood said that Kashmir issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible for the sake of international peace and security. As the citizens of the digital world, we demand from all peace-loving countries to come forward and support our Cause.

Fatima Gilani said the people of Kashmir have suffered long and needlessly because of this brutal conflict. The people of Kashmir deserve peace. Peace in the region of South Asia would remain elusive until the Kashmir dispute is resolved.

Sardar Mehmood Akbar said that there is no doubt that reason behind the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A was clear: to land grab and demographic changes. We will continue our efforts till the date when Kashmir will be liberated from the occupation of government of India.

Sadar Wakeel said that it was their duty to support the people of Kashmir who are struggling for their right to self-determination. Our objective is to draw the attention of the world powers to the situation in Kashmir and to exert pressure on the government of India and to resolve dispute over Kashmir and help stop human right violations in Indian occupied Kashmir.

Sardar Ali Anwar hailed the resoluteness of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in carrying forward their struggle for pursuing their cherished goal of freedom and justice.

Ms. Farah Sawar, young Kashmiri American youth said that the mantle of the freedom struggle of Kashmir has been successfully passed on to the younger generation and they are resolute and determined to take it to its logical conclusion.

It was so heart-rendering that Shafiq Shah Sahib, Mrs. Javeda Shafiq, Mohammad Abid Khan and his family, Khalid Faheem and his family brought hot tea, drinks, cookies, almonds, Pistache, etc. for all 55 passengers on our way from Virginia to the UN protest in New York. Their kindness made us feel truly at home, even on the bus. Everybody thanked them for their generosity.

Others who spoke included: Amjad Kabir; Choudhary Hanif; Dawood Sharif; Javed Shah; Choudhary Shabir; Mushtaq Mughal; Nasreen Habib; Raja Asad Pervez;
Raja Ishtiaq; Syed Gilani; Raja Sikander; Sardar Zafar; Raja Nadeem; Sumaira Ali; Raja Zafar; Sardar Ajmal khan; Sardar Farooq; Sardar Mushtaq; Sardar Rashad; Sardar Tahir; Shahid Karamat; Syed Azad and others.

The protest concluded with the Du’a for martyr of Kashmir.

Dr. Fai is also the Secretary general, World Kashmir Awareness Forum.
He can be reached at: WhatsApp; 1-202-607-6435. Or. gnfai2003@yahoo.com
www.kashmirawareness.org