ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The members of the British Parliament have assured that they would take up the Kashmir issue in the House of Commons and highlight the miseries of Kashmiris at international fora effectively.
In a joint news conference along with President Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan in Islamabad on Monday, the British Parliamentarians including Yasmeen Qureshi and Graham P Jones said prevailing situation in occupied Kashmir and plight of its people was a challenge for the World community.
The British Parliamentarians said both Pakistan and India should sit on a negotiating table for an amicable solution to the longstanding dispute as it would be a win-win situation for all including people of occupied Kashmir.
They said they visited both the sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and witnessed the situation on ground, adding the United Nations would be reminded of its responsibility and pushed to implement the resolutions it had passed on the issue.
In his remarks, Masood Khan also urged members of the British Parliament to play their role in resolving the longstanding issue of Kashmir between Pakistan and India.
“The Kashmir issue must be taken up in the House of Commons effectively as Britain, being member of United Nations as well as of its Security Council, has the double responsibility for maintaining world and regional peace,” the president AJK said.
The president AJK was of the view that the issue should be debated thoroughly at floor of the House of Commons frequently so that the British government could be convinced for its vibrant role to pressurize international community and India for resolving the Kashmir issue.
Masood Khan said India was committing massive human rights violations in occupied Kashmir to suppress Kashmiris’ indigenous movement for their legitimate right to self-determination.
“The situation in occupied Kashmir is continuously deteriorating and needs immediate attention of world influential powers,” he added.
The president said brutal Indian forces were targeting Kashmiri youth, molesting women, harassing and arresting Hurriyat leaders under draconian laws, besides settling non-Kashmiris in the occupied territory to turn locals into minority.
Masood said India’s National Investigation Agency was raiding houses of Kashmiri leaders and harassing them to prolong Indian occupation there.
The president AJK said the UN had failed so far to implement its own resolutions that guarantee Kashmiris legitimate right to self-determination.
“UN did nothing practical except lip service,” Masood Khan remarked, adding people of Azad Kashmir and Pakistan had been ready to resolve the Kashmir issue with India through meaningful dialogue since 1948.
Sardar Masood Khan restarted governments of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan would continue to extend their diplomatic, political and moral support to people of occupied Kashmir till the issue was resolved according to their wishes i.e. right to self-determination.
