An impressive intellectual discussion on “Kashmir: Past, Present and Future” was held at the headquarters of the Neslisah Sultan Cultural Center in Fatih, Istanbul. The event was jointly sponsored by the Divan Education and Research Association, Asya Pacific – Izleme Merkezi, and Fatih Belediyesi.
By Dr. Ghulam Nabi fai, Chairman, World Forum for Peace & Justice
The discussion brought together scholars, researchers, students and members of civil society to examine the history of the Kashmir question, its present challenges and the prospects for a peaceful and durable settlement.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Sinan Celikkol, President of Divan, emphasized the importance of increasing public understanding of Kashmir in Türkiye. He observed that the Kashmir issue is of importance to Türkiye, much as the Palestine question is, while noting that there remains a need for greater awareness of developments in Kashmir.
The session was moderated by Professor (Dr.) Veysel Ayhan, a well-known scholar and academic and Director of the SESA Institute, Istanbul. Professor Ayhan described Kashmir as one of the international conflicts that has remained unresolved for decades. He highlighted the role of the United Nations in addressing the question and the principle of self-determination as an important element in discussions concerning the future of the people of Kashmir.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mubeen Shah, Chairman of the Kashmir Diaspora Coalition, emphasized that Kashmir should be viewed not merely as a territorial dispute but as a question concerning people, their political rights, dignity, security and future. He stressed that after decades of conflict, the central challenge is to find a peaceful and sustainable settlement rather than simply continuing to manage the dispute.
Dr. Shah further emphasized that neither India nor Pakistan can determine the future of Kashmir alone and that the people of Kashmir must have a meaningful role in determining their political future. He also referred to the possibility of economic cooperation across the different parts of Kashmir as a means of building confidence and creating a peace dividend while the larger political question remains under negotiation.
The discussion also highlighted the potential for Kashmir to become a bridge rather than a barrier between South and Central Asia. Economic cooperation, greater connectivity and people-to-people contacts could help build confidence while the political question is addressed through negotiations. As discussed during the event, Dr. Shah stressed that moving from confrontation toward settlement and from division toward cooperation could enable Kashmir to realize its considerable human and economic potential.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman of the World Forum for Peace and Justice, said that the future of Kashmir must be approached through peaceful dialogue, negotiations and a political settlement, rather than confrontation or the imposition of solutions by force.
Dr. Fai emphasized that any meaningful peace process must include the people of Kashmir. He said that the people of Kashmir remain open to a final settlement, provided that they are made a genuine part of the negotiations. He cautioned that a settlement imposed upon the people without their participation would not address the fundamental political question.
Dr. Fai also cited the case of Khurram Parvez, a prominent Kashmiri human-rights defender, as an illustration of the difficulties faced by civil-society activists in Kashmir. He noted that Time magazine had recognized Parvez among its influential personalities, while Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, publicly stated that, in her view, “he’s not a terrorist, he’s a human rights defender.” UN human-rights experts subsequently expressed concern over his detention and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Dr. Fai also referred to the cases of Yasin Malik, Aasiya Andrabi, Fehmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, saying that they illustrate the continuing controversy surrounding political expression and demands for the right of self-determination in Kashmir. He argued that such cases reinforce the importance of creating space for peaceful political expression and of ensuring that the Kashmiri people are meaningfully included in any future negotiations concerning the political future of Kashmir.
Referring to recommendations attributed in the discussion to the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr. Fai stressed the importance of including Kashmiri representatives in future talks between the parties. He argued that a sustainable settlement requires a process in which the voices and aspirations of the people most directly affected by the conflict are heard and taken into account.
Dr. Fai also underscored the importance of international engagement aimed at creating conditions conducive to dialogue and peaceful resolution. He referred to proposals for fact-finding and international human-rights mechanisms concerning both sides of the Cease-Fire Line, emphasizing the importance of credible information and peaceful means of addressing outstanding concerns.
Dr. Fai concluded by stressing that the objective should not be an imposed outcome but a peaceful, negotiated and sustainable settlement in which the people of Kashmir have a meaningful place at the table.
He expressed his appreciation to the organizers and participants, particularly the two young scholars Ahmed Hafız of Bursa Uludağ University and Beyzanur Özkan of Istanbul University, for their efforts in making the event possible. He also thanked Dr. Cihangir İşlibir, Cultural Counsellor at the Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan, for his longstanding interest in Kashmir and his academic engagement with the region.
The event concluded with a shared emphasis on the need to keep the door open for dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful negotiations, with the participation of the people of Kashmir, as essential elements of any effort toward a lasting settlement.
