A 5-member delegation of British Parliamentarians, led by MP Khalid Mahmood and comprising MP Imran Hussain and Rt. Hon. Stephen Timms, called on the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday.
They discussed the current deteriorating human rights situation in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) with the Foreign Minister. The delegation is on a 4-day visit to Pakistan.
The Foreign Minister apprised the delegation of the illegal and unilateral actions by India in IOJ&K and the continuing siege of the valley which has continued consecutively for three weeks, without any respite, despite international condemnation and censure.
The Foreign Minister emphasized that the nefarious attempts by India to alter the disputed status of IOJ&K is a clear violation of numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions on Jammu & Kashmir.
India has severed all lines of communication cutting off millions of Kashmiris from the world. The international media and other reputable human rights organisations continue to report on night raids by Indian occupation forces, abduction of young boys, sexual assault of women, torture and lack of access to food and essential medicines.
The United Nations Security Council meeting on Jammu & Kashmir dispute is a testimony to the fact that this is an internationally recognised dispute. Indian actions are a grave, destabilising threat to the already volatile situation in South Asia and could have serious implications.
The United Nations Security Council has a role to ensure peace and security in the region. Pakistan has expressed its concerns to the international community about Indian divisionary tactics, including the escalation at the LoC and the Working Boundary and the possibility of a false flag operation.
The Foreign Minister reiterated that Pakistan will go to every forum to ensure that Indian atrocities in IOJ&K are halted and the dispute is resolved in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiris and the UNSC resolutions.
The Foreign Minister stressed the efforts of the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora and stated that every effort is critical in raising the issue of gross human rights violations in IOJ&K in Europe and beyond.
He stated that consistent efforts are required to sensitise the international community regarding the deplorable situation of human rights in IOJ&K and to preserve peace and security in the region. The Foreign Minister lauded efforts of the British Parliamentarians in highlighting the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and their support for peace and justice for the Kashmiri people.
The members of the UK parliamentary delegation recognised Pakistan’s concerns regarding the latest developments in IOJ&K and stated that the continued curfew as well as potentially serious human rights abuses not being reported due to the blanket media blackout deserve the attention of the international community.
