WASHINGTON — Speaking to a large international audience at the 50th Annual Convention of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) in Baltimore, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, a leading Kashmiri activist and chairman of the World Forum for Peace & Justice, praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s timely role in stopping a serious conflict between India and Pakistan.
Dr. Fai warned that the recent four-day clash between the two nations could have turned into a full-scale war with horrifying nuclear consequences. “Tens of millions of lives could have been affected,” he said, adding that the long-standing Kashmir dispute continues to pose a serious threat to global peace.
Over 35,000 people from across the U.S. and around the world, including delegates from Australia, the U.K., and South Africa, attended the convention. Dr. Fai spoke on the topic, “The Struggle of Kashmir: Justice and Freedom of a Forgotten People.”
He reminded the audience that Kashmir has already sparked two wars between India and Pakistan, and without a fair solution, a third war is always a risk. He hoped President Trump would follow through on his promise to mediate the conflict and help end the suffering in the region.
Dr. Fai also highlighted human rights abuses in Kashmir. He mentioned Khurram Parvez, a respected human rights defender, who was jailed under India’s strict anti-terror law despite international praise, including being named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2022.
He also pointed to the case of Mohammad Yasin Malik, a well-known Kashmiri political figure, who was arrested in August 2024. “India is closing all doors to peace,” Dr. Fai warned.
In closing, he said the people of Kashmir remain committed to their UN-promised right to self-determination, a right they have struggled and sacrificed for over generations.
