Update to PAK15491.E of 8 October 1993 on the Kashmir Freedom Movement (KFM) (Since January 1999) [PAK32442.E]

Only one mention in the period since January 1999 of the Kashmir Freedom Movement (KFM) could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

On 12 January 1999 the Karachi-based English language daily newspaper, Dawn, reported that the

Three most active and important Kashmiri organisations demanding complete independence for Jammu & Kashmir State have declared that they would resist with full force attempts to be made to divide Jammu & Kashmir State permanently or deprive Kashmiris of their right to opt for complete independence of their motherland.
These parties have also declared that complete independence of Kashmir for 15 years followed by a referendum was the best practicable solution of the issue and that "All Parties Hurriet Conference (APHC)" had no right to claim to be the "true representative of Kashmiri people.
In a meeting held here at the invitation of Mr Amanullah Khan, chairman Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and chaired by Mohammad Afsar Shahid, president KFM, representatives of Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), headed by famous Kashmiri leader Shabbir Ahmad Shah who has spent over 20 years in prisons, Kashmir Freedom Movement (KFM) and JKLF adopted seven resolutions and resolved to put them into practice.
In one of the resolutions it was declared that the three parties would fight tooth and nail any attempt to be made by any quarters, to divide Jammu & Kashmir permanently including making present position permanent.
In another resolution the three parties rejected the UNCIP resolution of January 5, 1949 and resolved to resist with full force any attempt made to impose it on Kashmiris as this resolution limited Kashmiris right of self-determination only to State's accession to India or Pakistan depriving them of their inherent right to independence.
In the communique, the three parties also directed their members and workers inside the State and abroad to cooperate with each other in their struggle for complete independence of their motherland.
The joint communique was signed by Mehmood Ahmad Saghar, Senior Vice president JKDFP, Advocate Irshad Ahmad Malik, diplomatic spokesman of JKDFP, Sardar Aftab Ahmad Khan, Chairman Kashmir Youth Movement, and Dr Haider Hijazi, Secretary General, JKLF.

Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found on the KFM.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference


Dawn [Karachi]. 12 January 1999. " Three Kashmir Parties Demand Independence." http://dawn.com [Accessed 12 Jan. 1999]

Additional Sources Consulted


The Bureau of South Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State. November 1997.

Background Notes: Pakistan.

US Department of State. 1999.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998.

US Department of State. April 1999.

Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1998.

Electronic sources: Internet, IRB Databases, NEXIS.

Non-documentary sources:

Unsuccessful attempts to contact:

- Kashmir American Council, USA.

- Kashmir Council for Human Rights, UK.

- Kashmir Forum, UK.

- World Kashmir Freedom Movement, UK