Issuing flawed passport a vindictive move against War family: Er. Hilal War

Srinagar, (KMW): In a significant development in a crowded press conference held at Hotel Ahdoos Srinagar, pro self-dtermination leader who is intellectually loaded with the golden thoughts of freedom and right to self determination and the Chairman People’s Political Party(PPP)  Hilal Ahmad  War castigated the Indian Government for denying them right to life.Referring to the unique discrimiatory passport handed over to his brother Ajaz Ahmad War(a Journalist by profession) Hilal War stated that “Kashmir , earlier synonymous with paradise, pleasure and beauty, now connotes agony, pain, misery, torture, killings and terror.  How and why did all this happen? This is in response to the demand of the people that they want to shape their political future according to their own wishes and that they are masters of their own destiny. Right from the creation of the Kashmir problem the attempts have been made to suppress this voice. Those who demonstrated their will to shape their political future by exercising the rights and  powers given by United Nations were persecuted, harassed and intimidated by the Indian Government through their forces or other state apparatus wherein our family which is commonly known as ‘War Family’  had been victimised, harassed and persecuted right from 1947 figures at top . The ‘War Family’ is of the belief that freedom is the fundamental right of any Sovereign Republic and it is no sin for people of J & K to ask for this minimum demand to shape their political future with honour and dignity, at par with all civilized nationalities of the world.”Mr. War further stated “On the directions of Hon’able High Court, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a passport to my brother, Ajaz Ahmad War (a journalist by profession)   on June 04, 2011 from the regional passport Office, Srinagar, Kashmir. The passport has been issued with a validity of just one year  wherein it is enunciated on the passport that Ajaz Ahmad War can travel to all the countries except Pakistan.This is in violation of Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and Constitution of India also .This is also in violation to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.This unconstitutional and anarchious  action of Government of India has vindicated our stand that India is an occupying power. This unconstitutional action of Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given legitimacy to the disputed nature of Kashmir and has recognized it by writing on the passport of Ajaz Ahmad War that he cannot travel to Pakistan. This travel document issued to Mr.Ajaz Ahmad War is a legitimate weapon to be used at the international fora as evidence that India has virtually accepted Kashmir as a ‘Dispute’. This travel document has strengthened our argument that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are de-facto citizens of India not de-jure.”“This unjustified action is to counter China’s staple visa wherein India has now started issuing Passports to Kashmiris not valid for Pakistan trip. This unconstitutional action has justified the action of China by issuing staple Visa’s to Kashmiris”, said Mr.War. Mr.War in a his style said that the  Indian government readily issues passports to pro-freedom  leaders like Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik , Moulana abbass Ansari, Professor Abdul Ghani, Nayeem Khan, Shahid-ul-Islam, Saleem Geelani, Syed sallu-Din’s son, Syed Ali shah Geelani’s son,Farida Behanji’s son and others but none of them was barred to visit Pakistan.PPP Chief, while narrating the atrocities committed by the Indian establishment, said, “It is not for the first time that our family has been harassed and deprived of basic rights by the State authorities but this process of persecution, harassment and intimidation has continued right from the October 1947. One example of the persecution and harassment is that the entire War Family has been bared to enter any Government Department right from October 1947. This is in violation of ‘Right to Life’. The State authorities has deprived my family from the basic rights .This denial of right to life is a clear  violation of Universal Declaration of Human Rights  wherein India is the signatory.My younger sister was expelled from the job and was denied passport only because I am her brother. The CIK mentioned in its report that her two brothers Hilal Ahmad War and Jameel Ahmad War are close associates of Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Syed Sallahuddin. If Government of India feels that ‘War Family’ is a threat to safety and security of India, then she must detain our whole family including our children and infants and lodge them in some prison so that at least my family would be given food to live in.  Why should Government of India punish Peter for the sins of Paul? Otherwise, my family would be left with no option but to seek a political asylum in some other country where China and Iran would be our first choice. The War family has its own history and credit should go to this family for imbibing the concept and philosophy of ‘Right to Self-determination and freedom of expression’ in the historical area of Maisuma and Civil Lines area of Srinagar which is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir”. PPP Chief said,“this is an eye opener for the Civil Society of India and Pakistan, organizers of “Aman Ki Aasha” (Hope for Peace) and International Human Rights Organizations as well as prominent Human Rights activists of International repute , Mr. Gautam Navlakha, Arundhati Roy, Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani, Angana Chatterji etc. to take a strong note of this harassment and persecution by the Indian State authorities and take up this case at International fors and with New-Delhi Govt”.He said that Freedom of movement or the right to travel is a human rights concept that the constitutions of all member states of United Nations respect. Scholars have attempted to base a universal “right to move” on several philosophical grounds, including the idea of a common ownership of the earth, a natural right of movement existing prior to the advent of nation States,After World War II, the United Nations was established. The new international organization recognized the importance of freedom of movement through documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966). Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly, reads,(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights incorporates this right into treaty law:(1) Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence.(2) Everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own.(3)  No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country.Mr.Hilal  Ahmad War, reiterated his party stand that  the soul of J&K political freedom struggle is Right to Self-determination, which is neither negotiable nor can be compromised. Nobody whether a genuine head of a political party or leader of any group or conglomerate  is or can be authorized to enter in any sort of compromise on this principle on behalf of J & K people to act as political attorney of J&K people in any conference, bilateral or trilateral talks.
Masses and intellectual community of the state are aghast over the move.A cross section of people spoke on this crucial issue with Kashmir Media Watch .Ghulam Jeelani, a student said, “This is a shameful decision on part of the government.War family is being victimized for fighting for the birth right of this browbeaten nation –“Right to Self Determination”.The issuance of this type of discriminatory passport clearly proves this point.”Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights (JKCHR) expresses its deep anguish and concern on the circumstances under which passport has been issued to Mr. Ajaz Ahmad War Editor-in-Chief of Kashmir Media Watch based in Srinagar.Dr.Syed Nazir Geelani, Sec. Gen. JKCHR, while talking telphonically with Kashmir Media Watch has said that curtailing the validity of the passport to one year and making it non-valid for a travel to Pakistan prima facie is in violation of the article 4 of J & K Constitution.  “At the same time it embeds a potential of a serious discrimination against the rights of Mr. War and it seems to attribute to a negative comment on the person during his travel.The validity of the passport fails to take into account the wisdom envisaged in article 4 of the J & K Constitution and it is an added violation of the UN resolutions which provide for lawful entry and exit to a Kashmiri into the State territories under the administrative controls of India and Pakistan.” Awami National Conference senior Vice-President Muzafer Shah also criticized the decision. “If government of India talks of increasing people to people contact then the issuances of such discriminatory passport to a journalist like Ajaz Ahmad War is a matter of shame.This is a serious matter and needs to be given a serious look.”Masses and intellectuals are clearly aggrieved over the issuance of discriminatory passport to Ajaz Ahmad War.