Call for academic collaboration on Kashmir between UK, Pakistan

LONDON – There is a need for collaboration between academic institutions of the UK and Pakistan to study Kashmir dispute, speakers said at an event hosted by Tehreek-e-Kashmir (TeK) UK.

The TeK hosted a seminar in the British parliament to discuss possibilities and challenges of joint academic research between British and Pakistani universities “to draw the attention of international organizations on human rights violations in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK) in the light of international law.”

The seminar was chaired by Dr Afzal Khan CBE MP, Shadow justice Minister and Chair of the APPG on UK-PAK Trade and Tourism and hosted by Fahim Kayani, president of TeK UK.

Renowned academician Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), vice chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), one of the top universities in Pakistan, was the chief guest of the seminar.

British parliamentarians Imran Hussain, Yasmin Qureshi ,Muhammad Yasin and Tahir Ali were guest speakers at the seminar.

Dr Afzal Khan CBE MP said: “Today’s topic is on very important issue which is integration of Pakistani and UK academic research on humantarian issues especially Kashmir.”

“We must not forget that 1.4 million Pakistanis are residing in the UK and they are vital assests of the two countries,” he said.

He suggested Pakistani government to formulate projects to engage younger generation of British-Pakistani diaspora.

Imran Hussian, another British lawmaker and Shadow Minster in the UK said that the government of Pakistan and research department of various universities of Pakistan must continuously interact with the UK universities and overseas Kashmiri and Pakistani organisations like Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK which are working tirelessly to highlight the suffering of the Kashmris under brutal occupation of India.

He said Kayani-led Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK also submitted a very well documented petition on the plight of Kashmiri women with facts and figures to the office of the Prime Minister of the UK.

“Such reports on serious human rights violations by India in IIoJK need to be published regularly to garner world attention,” said Hussain.

Terming the conference as a “good initiative”, MP Tahir Ali said he will send youth from his constituency to visit various universities and institutions of Pakistan “to have better understanding.”

“It is great to see many Pakistani students in this conference who are pursuing studies in various subjects in the UK universities,” said MP Muhammad Yasin.

Yasmin Qureshi, UK Shadow Minister “It is really a matter of pleasure that students have gathered to discuss a nuclear flash point i.e. Kashmir which deserves high-level academic research in accordance with international jurisprudence and ongoing other world issues,”

Muhammad Ali, the vice chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University said the British parliamentarians “play a pivitol role in highlighting Kashmir dispute in international power corridors to expose human rights violation in IIoJK.”

He also said Quaid-e-Azam University passed a “unanimous resolution condemning India’s illegal actions by repealing Articles 370 and 35A and brutally laying siege to Kashmir.”

On the occasion, British lawmaker Dr. Afzal Khan along with British Parliamentarians and President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK Fahim Kayani presented a British Parliament plaque to Dr Muhammad Ali “in recognition of his services to Pakistan’s higher education .”

He is the first Pakistani academician to receive the British Parliament plaque in the House of Commons.

Dr Zia ur Rehman, Dr Jamal Abdul Nasir , Dr. Maqsood Ahmad , Zaibunisa Khan, Miss Nudrat , Mr Sohail, Sheni Hamid , Rehana Ali, Soraya Boyd, Naila Azmat and Raja Muhammad Azad also attended the seminar.