An open letter to Senator Joe Biden, US Presidential Candidate E-2020 from Dr Toqeer Gilani

The longest running dispute needs your urgent attention. Help people of Jammu Kashmir State to be free.

An open letter to Senator Joe Biden, Presidential Candidate for US Election 2020 on 244th Independence Day of United States of America

Senator Joe Biden

Democratic Party Presidential Candidate for US Election 2020

Dear Sir,

Let me congratulate you and the American nation on your 244thIndependence Day. For a nation, no day is better than the day of her independence. The American nation has a great history of resistance against foreign occupation and I would, on this day, like to quote the famous words of Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on 7th of June 1776 that “these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

Let me also express my gratitude on your recent statement condemning gross human rights’violations, unconstitutional and undemocratic actions and measures being taken by Indian government in Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir since august 5, 2019.

Dear Sir,

You are aware of the fact that Narendra Modi’s government in India has forcibly annexed Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019 violating UN Security Council resolutions and international law, splitting the region into two union territories. This move practically tumbled Kashmir into a virtualembargo after communication and internet services were cut off, print media was silenced, journalists were banded from reporting and all civil liberties were suspended.

All prominent political and pro-freedom leaders were put into prisons. Political activists, men, women and even children were detained, and health infrastructure came to standstill. Mr Muhammad Yasin Malik, the chairman of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front and one of the most prominent, nonviolent and rational voices in Jammu Kashmir state, is continuously facing the madness and vengeance of Indian government facing fictitious and false cases fabricated against him.

He is continuously suffering in solitary confinement in Tihar jail New Delhi for last one year being denied of legal and medical assistance. The Indian government has also denied access to all UN and non-UN humanitarian agencies and civil society organizations to observe the situation in Jammu Kashmir.

Dear Sir,

This distressing situation has become worst since the start of covid-19 pandemic.The government of India is exploiting the pandemic to give a free rein to its military and law enforcement agencies to suppress fundamental human rights including right to free movement, peaceful assembly, political dissent and freedom of expression. People are not able to talk to their loved ones. They are simply cut off from the rest of the world. People are facing various complexitiesandaccess to food, medicines and health facilities, transport, businesses and jobs is almost denied in many cities, towns and villages of the valley. Life of common masses has turn out to bevery challenging and threatening.

This also has escalated tensions between India and Pakistan on the line which forcibly divides the Jammu Kashmir state since last 72 yearssplitting it into Indian and Pakistani occupied areas. This escalation isagain causing severe loss of lives and property of civilians living at Cease Fire Line (CFL) facing exchange of firing and intense shelling between two atomic powers on daily basis.

After the recent clashes between India and China in Ladakh region of Jammu Kashmir state, the entire region is at a verge of a conceivable war masquerading a potential threat to regional and international peace and security and it could result in destruction and desolation.

Dear Sir,

The situation needs your immediate attention. You can competea vital role to solve this long-standing issue lingering on the table of UNSC since its birth. Since 1947, The UN Security Council has passed more than a dozen resolutions to resolve the Issue according to freely expressed wishes of the people of the state of Jammu Kashmir. The UNSC has passed resolutions and promised the people of Jammu Kashmir state to demilitarize and reunite the state as it existed in 1947 and a final settlement based on freely expressed will of the state subjects.

You can use your good office to compel India, Pakistan and china to restrain, formulate a dialogue process with the principal party to the issue to permanently resolve Jammu Kashmir Issue under the supervision of UNSC, release all political prisoners and initiate a complete withdrawal of their militaries from Jammu Kashmir state followed by a replacement of UN peace keeping troops till the final and permanent disposition of the issue according to UN charter and UNSC resolution of August 13, 1948.

Dear Sir,

The People of Jammu Kashmir state have great expectations towards you. I request you to give a kind and early attention to those expectations and help them achieve a permanent peace and stability in the region by making Jammu Kashmir a bridge of friendship and progress instead of a bone of contention in the region. People of Jammu Kashmir have every right to be free and live free and they have waited for long time to be granted the pledged right to decide their own future.

I thank you again.

Yours truly,

Dr. Toqeer Gilani

President Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF)

Pakistani Controlled Jammu Kashmir Gilgit Baltistan Zone

Telephone: # +92-347-078-6373

Email: gilanitoqeer@hotmail.com