Muzaffarabad conference reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to Kashmir & regional stability

February 28, 2025Last Updated: February 28, 2025

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Muzaffarabad: A high-level national conference held in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to regional peace, strategic stability, and the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people.

According to Kashmir Media Service, held to mark the sixth anniversary of Operation Swift Retort—Pakistan’s decisive response to Indian aggression on February 27, 2019—the conference also highlighting India’s militaristic ambitions, cross-border provocations, and systematic oppression of minorities. It underscored how the operation shattered India’s claims of conventional superiority, reinforced Pakistan’s deterrence posture, and showcased the nation’s resolve to counter any misadventure. Speakers also criticised India’s use of misinformation to distort the Kashmir cause and called for proactive resistance against its hegemonic designs.

Titled “27th February: An Affirmation of Pakistan’s Resolve on the Kashmir Conflict, Peace, and Stability,” the conference was organised by the Centre for International and Strategic Studies (CISS) at the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK). AJK’s Acting President Chaudhry Latif Akbar was the chief guest. The event attracted a diverse audience, including students, academics, policymakers, politicians, and bureaucrats.

In his keynote address, Acting President Akbar recalled the events of February 27, 2019, and said that Pakistan’s response had shattered India’s claims of conventional military superiority. He commended Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Kashmiri people, noting that Kashmiris, in turn, stood unwaveringly with Pakistan. “Ironically, the economic interests of global capitalism have overshadowed the suffering of Kashmiris and Palestinians,” Akbar regretted.

Highlighting the sequence of events leading to Operation Swift Retort, Parliamentary Kashmir Committee Chairman Rana Qasim Noon reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to defending its territorial integrity and supporting Kashmiris in their struggle for self-determination.

Addressing the conference, Ramesh Singh Arora, a Pakistani Sikh leader, described India as the epicentre of cross-border terrorism and highlighted the systemic oppression of minorities in the country. Reflecting on the events of February 27, 2019, he termed it a pivotal moment, proving Pakistan’s military preparedness against Indian aggression.

Maj-Gen (R) Syed Shahab Shahid warned that India was actively developing pre-emptive military capabilities, which threatened regional strategic balance. Referring to Pakistan’s response on February 27, he noted that the “Quid Pro Quo Plus” policy ensured the neutralization of Indian aggression under the ‘Full Spectrum Deterrence’ framework.

Speaking on India’s reluctance for meaningful dialogue and its orchestration of false flag operations, Lt-Gen (R) Sarfraz Sattar pointed out that misinformation campaigns had significantly undermined the Kashmir cause. “This situation demands a proactive resistance at every level rather than appeasement,” he asserted. “Pakistan must remain resolute in its pursuit of Kashmir’s freedom, as moral righteousness ultimately prevails.”