October 19, 2001	Friday	Shaba'an 1, 1422

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LONDON, Oct 18: Barrister Sultan Mehmood and British MPs on Thursday urged the international coalition against terrorism to remove the root cause of terrorism by removing the injustices being perpetrated against Kashmiri’s and Palestinians.

The leader of opposition in Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Chaudhary Sultan Mehmood and members of British parliament were speaking at a meeting organized by an MP Khalid Mehmood in the House of Commons here.

Those who attended the meeting included MP Khalid Mehmood, MP Muhammad Sarwar, MP Peter Pike, MP Lynne Johns, MP David Liddington, MP Terry Davis, MP While, Lorna Fitz Simons and Woolis MP John Mann.

Strongly condemning the terrorists attacks against America on Sept 11, Barrister Sultan drew the attention of the international community towards the state-sponsored terrorism in occupied Kashmir.

“At least 80,000 Kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian forces. Women are gang-raped, youth tortured and gross human rights abuses are taking place there,” he said.

The United States and European countries, particularly Britain, should take the lead in condemning the injustices taking place in Indian held Kashmir.

The former AJK prime minister said on Tuesday that the Indian forces had again resorted to an unprovoked firing on the Line of Control killing about 17 innocent Kashmiris including a child.

The Indian “desperate acts,” he said, did not surprise him as they coincided with the visit of the US Secretary of State Colin Powell to Islamabad.

The Indians did the same during former US President Clinton’s visit to India and Pakistan by killing Sikhs.

Kashmir remains a dispute with the potential to plunge the entire South Asian region into the danger of a possible nuclear conflict, he said.

He said that the Indians’ so-called allegations of “cross-border terrorism” were false and a ploy to divert the world’s attention from an indigenous Kashmir struggle in Kashmir. He said India should accept Pakistan’s offer of placing UN military observers on the LoC to verify the veracity of its claims.

“The UN must take the initiative to resolve the Kashmir dispute by implementing its own resolutions,” on the issue, said Barrister Sultan. MP Khalid Mehmood said that the British PM Tony Blair’s call for the reinvigoration of Middle East peace process was very encouraging. He said the Kashmir dispute could also be resolved through dialogue.

Mr Mehmood, who was among the Muslim MPs including MP Muhammad Sarwar, Lord Nazir Ahmed who were invited by Tony Blair late Wednesday for a meeting, said, that Blair had the understanding of the Kashmir issue.

MP Muhammad Sarwar said that the international coalition had to be tough on terrorism and the underlying causes of terrorism.

He said the international community must put pressure on India to resolve the Kashmir issue. He said the international community seemed now to realize the need for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue. Mr Sarwar said he had been highlighting the Kashmir issue in his meetings with the British leadership.

He appreciated the efforts of Barrister Sultan in highlighting the Kashmir issue in Europe, the UK and the US. Sarwar hoped Britain would use its good offices with the Bush Administration to plead the cause of Kashmir.

MP Peter Pike said that he extend “strong support to the cause of Kashmir” and said the issues of Palestine and Kashmir have to be resolved peacefully.

MP Lorna Fitz Simons said she had always made it a point that the issue of Kashmir must be “on top in our meetings” with the British prime minister Tony Blair and foreign secretary Jack Straw. She has a large number of Kashmiri voters in her constituency.

She said the people of Kashmir should be given their right to self-determination and that “the cause is no longer hijacked.”

“I just hope and pray that the people do not misunderstand” the issue of Kashmir, she said.

MP David Liddington said, “we should try and find a new language to approach the Kashmir issue.”

He urged the leaders of Europe and the US to focus on Kashmir. The present situation arising out of the terrorists attacks against the US on Sept 11, “does give tremendous opportunity to take this issue forward. All of us have been impressed by the way Muslims have been forthright in denouncing the terrorists attacks.”—APP