Overseas Kashmiris urged to continue key role in national progress, project Kashmir cause globally

Experts at the day-long Overseas Kashmiris Convention 2026 in Mirpur emphasized the continued vital role of overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris in national development and in raising the Kashmir issue on the global stage

MIRPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Feb, 2026) Experts at the day-long Overseas Kashmiris Convention 2026 in Mirpur emphasized the continued vital role of overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris in national development and in raising the Kashmir issue on the global stage. The high-profile event highlighted economic contributions, diplomatic advocacy, and the importance of strengthening ties between the diaspora and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the convention on Monday, Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Maqam described the overseas community as a valuable national asset, noting that their remittances, totaling billions of Dollars annually, bolster Pakistan’s economy. He praised their support during crises, including earthquake relief, calling them ambassadors of Pakistan abroad. Maqam acknowledged the AJK government and Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore for hosting the convention and highlighted federal development projects, including five Daanish schools, a proposed university, and modern motorway projects linking Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, and Mansehra. He strongly condemned Indian atrocities in the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir, citing the demolition of over 200,000 homes and the deaths and injuries of hundreds of thousands over the past seven decades, while commending Kashmiri resilience.

Leader of the Opposition in the AJK Legislative Assembly, Shah Ghulam Qadir, welcomed the convention as a positive step, emphasizing overseas Kashmiris’ pivotal role in regional development.

He highlighted democratic progress in AJK, contrasting it with Indian-occupied Kashmir, and paid tribute to historical leaders such as Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan, and K.H. Khurshid for their sacrifices. All Parties Hurriyat Conference convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi stressed the diaspora’s deep connection with the Kashmir cause, urging international lobbying to raise awareness of the situation in occupied Kashmir and reaffirming the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

OPF Chairman Syed Qamar Raza highlighted the economic impact of overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris, praising AJK initiatives such as dedicated support desks and complaint portals. He stressed the need to expand private-sector investment to create employment and prosperity while pledging that OPF will continue bridging the gap between government and diaspora communities. Overseas leaders, including Barrister Abid and Coordinator Azhar Bardalvi, expressed gratitude for the historic convention and proposed dedicated seats for overseas Kashmiris in the AJK Legislative Assembly to ensure their voices are heard.

The convention concluded with a unanimous call for continued engagement by overseas Kashmiris in development, advocacy, and investment, emphasizing their essential role in strengthening Pakistan’s economy and projecting the Kashmir cause internationally.

APP/ahr/378