Online Desk: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has hailed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for forcefully raising the Kashmir dispute at the UN General Assembly, calling Turkey a true champion of freedom, peace and the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

According to Kashmir Media Service, President Erdogan once again raised the Kashmir dispute during his address to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

Calling for disputes in South Asia, including Kashmir, to be resolved through dialogue and negotiations, the Turkish President said they should be addressed within the framework of the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.“In South Asia, it is important that all disputes, including the Kashmir dispute, be addressed through dialogue within the framework of the United Nations Charter and of relevant resolutions,” he said.

APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas in a statement in Srinagar termed the Turkish President’s speech a true reflection of Kashmiris’ aspirations. He said Turkiye has consistently raised the Kashmir dispute at international fora and made efforts to raise global awareness for its early resolution. He said the Kashmiri people are thankful to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for calling for resolution of the Kashmir dispute as per United Nations resolutions.

The APHC expressed hope that the world community will take cognizance of the continued occupation and brutal tactics India is using to suppress the political voices of the Kashmiri people. It is time the world plays its due role in holding India accountable for crimes committed by its troops in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

The APHC said the Indian BJP government must understand that tension between Pakistan and India will end only when the Kashmir dispute is permanently resolved according to UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

He hoped that the UN Security Council will take steps to ensure implementation of its resolutions regarding the holding of a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir to enable Kashmiris to decide their fate by themselves.