London – British lawmakers have called on the UK government to take initiative and hold a multilateral conference on Kashmir towards ending the conflict in the UN-designated disputed territory.
At a conference held at British parliament , the participants including the British lawmakers, flagged concern over settler colonialism being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir by India.
The lawmakers including Debbie Abrahams, Andrew Pakes, Emma Reynolds, Yuan Yang, , Iqbal Mohammed ,Sarah Smith, Rachel Hopkins, Paulette Hamilton, Clive Betts, Afzal Khan MP attend the conference chaired by Fahim Kayani, President Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK.
Reiterating their support to Kashmiri right to self-determination as enshrined in various UN resolutions, the conference lamented the inaction by international community on Kashmir front.
Muzzamil Ayub Takhur from Indian occupied Kashmir, Muhammad Ghalib, president Tehreek-e-Kashmir Europe, Rehana Ali Advocate and info secretary of TeK UK, Sadaf Abbas Cheema from King’s College London Students Union, human rights defenders Khawajah Suleman and Naila Azmat also attended the conference.
“We note with heavy heart the grave human rights situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, especially after August 2019 when India re-annexed the UN-designated disputed territory and is engaged in occupying military-backed settler colonialism,” said a resolution adopted at the conference.
It also flagged concern over the muzzling of the vibrant Kashmiri which has seen well-designed clampdown by the Indian military regime in the UN-designated disputed territory.
The conference called on the ruling Labour Party to bring a resolution to the House of Commons on situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The road map for such a solution has already been set by this parliament when it allowed the people of Scotland to vote for their political destiny,” the participants of the conference noted.
Seeking rollback of black laws including the AFSPA, the so-called PSA as well as draconian UAPA, the conference emphasized a constructive dialogue among all parties of the dispute, viz Kashmiris, Indians and Pakistanis together, “can be a welcome beginning for solving the seven-and-a-half-decade long dispute.”
“The UK being a friend of both countries should take an initiative for a tripartite/multilateral conference of the stakeholders in London,” it added.
Kayani, the Kashmiri diaspora leader, reminded the British ruling party of its commitment made during Labour Party Conference on Sept. 30, 1995 and Sep 25,2019
“This is the time when Labour Party must implement the NEC Statement on Kashmir which was adopted during the party conference 29 years ago,” said Kayani. “The ruling party must give us a road map to frame and implement its Kashmir policy which is based on right to self-determination for millions of Kashmiris.
