In occupied Kashmir, the All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has formed a two-member committee to garner support for joint resistance against Indian government’s move of settling non-Kashmiris in the territory.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had recently announced that pro-freedom parties, legal fraternity and members of civil society would be consulted to formulate a united, effective and sustained effort to safeguard the Muslim-majority status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The committee comprising APHC leaders, Muhammad Musaddiq Aadil, and Ghulam Nabi Zaki, has started consultations with various Hurriyet groups, legal experts and civil society members. It has been tasked to seek opinion and suggestions of other pro-freedom leaders besides representatives of civil society and legal experts for devising a joint comprehensive strategy against the settlement of non-Kashmiris in the occupied territory.

The APHC Chairman termed the issue as serious. “The objective of the settlement of non-state subjects is to subvert the inalienable right of self-determination of people of Kashmir and forcible integration and assimilation of the dispute Jammu and Kashmir.”

Meanwhile, the veteran Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani in a statement in New Delhi said that proposal of joint strategy mooted by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to counter New Delhi’ move would thoroughly be discussed. “So far, we have not received any communication. However, if we do receive, the proposal will be discussed in our forums,” he added.

Terming the settling of non-Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir a serious issue, senior leader of Hurriyet Conference Jammu and Kashmir, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, said that he had already stressed the need of a joint strategy to thwart any move aimed at changing the demography of the territory.

“All the pro-freedom groups need to join hands to resist tooth and nail any such move. We have to formulate a joint strategy about how to deal with the issue if the Indian government goes ahead with its designs,” Shabbir Shah said.