Islamabad: The President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Sardar Masood Khan has said that India is removing every symbol related to the history of Muslims or the religion of Islam in occupied Jammu and Kashmir under a well thought out strategy.
He was addressing the participants of a photographic and cultural exhibition organized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The exhibition was also addressed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz and others.
He said, India’s current fanatical rulers have hinted construction of 100,000 Hindu temples in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the razing the mosques that they falsely claim, were constructed by demolishing Hindu temples.
He said, the BJP-RSS regime is erasing all such symbols which are related to religion, civilization, culture and language of Muslims, adding that in the occupied territory, Urdu language, which has been spoken and written for centuries, has been abolished and the Hindi language is being introduced in its place so that the new generation of Kashmiris are cut off from their past.
Terming Kashmir as the land of Sufis and Saints, he said that because of sufis and mystic’s righteousness, spiritual teachings and charisma, Hindus and followers of other religions embraced Islam. He said Islam spread (in Kashmir) not through conquests but by words and deeds of mystics and saints, whose piety, righteousness, spirituality and care for humanity inspired local population to convert to Islam. No forced conversions.
The AJK President said, a rich heritage and architecture was brought to and developed in Kashmir, with a legacy of matchless and unique arts, crafts and industries, including carpet, shawl and textile weaving, wood carving, calligraphy and embroidery.
He said that in spite of these heinous acts of the Indian government, Hindu temples, religious places and buildings and archaeological sites associated with the history of Hindu religion in Azad Kashmir were protected and preserved. APP
