The Prime Minister’s Special Envoys on Kashmir,
Senator Lt. Gen (R), Abdul Qayyum, HI (M) and Mr. Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh,
MNA met All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Kashmir at the British
Parliament today. The envoys sensitized the British Parliamentarians on
the ongoing gross atrocities and human rights violations by the Indian
security forces in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). They called upon
the British Parliamentarians and the international community to apply
the same human rights standards in Kashmir as anywhere else in the
world.
Gen Qayyum gave a genesis of the Kashmir issue along with UN Security
Council Resolutions on it and sought United Kingdom’s support for the
Kashmiris right to self-determination. He narrated the recent atrocities
in the IOK in which more than 150 people were martyred, hundreds
blinded by the use of pellet guns and 15,000 people lying wounded. Gen
Qayyum said that Indian accusation of Pakistan’s involvement in Uri
attack was in fact an attempt to divert the world attention from the
atrocities being committed by India in IOK. He reiterated Pakistan’s
commitment to resolve all outstanding issues with India, including the
core issue of Kashmir, through dialogue. He also highlighted the fact
that India was constantly avoiding talks.
Gen Qayyum stated: “In case there is an escalation on Pakistan’s eastern
borders caused by India, Pakistan would have to shift its security
forces from its western border to eastern border. This would adversely
affect its fight against terrorism which eventually would affect global
security.”
Dilating upon UK to resolve Kashmir dispute, the General said it would
help avoid any conflict between two nuclear neighbours i.e. Pakistan and
India, on an issue that is the unfinished agenda of partition. This
would help Pakistan strengthen its historic relations with the UK,
instead of being forced away from countries like UK whose friendship is
greatly valued.
Mr. Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh MNA apprised the parliamentarians about the
current situation in Kashmir and Line of Control. He suggested that both
the countries should resolve their issues through dialogue and spend
the defence budget on social sector uplift and promoting education in
the region. Mr Shaikh urged the Parliamentarians to send a delegation to
the IOK to know the plight of the Kashmiri people. Both the envoys
urged UK to play its role in resolution of the issue.
The British Parliamentarians termed the situation in Kashmir appalling and
emphasised on the immediate resolution of the issue. They also supported
Pakistan’s stance on resolving the issue through dialogue. The Lords
and MPs were of the view that peaceful resolution was in the interest of
both the countries as this would allow spending on education and
poverty alleviation in the region.
Concluding the discussion, H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas, Pakistan High
Commissioner to the UK highlighted the Kashmir issue from human rights
perspective. He hoped that concerns about plight of the Kashmiris would
be passed on to the British government effectively.
Among others who attended the meeting and spoke on the Kashmir issue
included Lord Nazir Ahmed, Lord Qurban Hussain, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi,
Baroness Udin, Julie Cooper MP, Kate Green MP, and Chris Lesley MP.
The Envoys are on an official visit to the UK to highlight the issue of
Kashmir with the British government, think tanks, human rights
organisations, and the Pakistani community in the UK. The interaction of
the Envoys with the British authorities and community organisations is
aimed to create awareness about the human rights crisis in IOK on the
international level.
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