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| February 4, 2003 | Tuesday | Zul Hijjah 2,1423 |
British MPs back Kashmiris struggle
LONDON, Feb 3: British Muslim parliamentarians have expressed their support to the people of Kashmir in their struggle for gaining the right to self-determination, assuring them that they would continue to espouse their cause.
“We express our best wishes for the people of Kashmir and one day they will win their right to self-determination,” Labour MP, Muhammad Sarwar, told this news agency here on Monday.
Sarwar, an ardent supporter of Kashmir and Palestinian causes, said the international community should focus on these two burning issues.
The issues of Kashmir and Palestine needed to be resolved through peaceful means, he said, adding that removal of injustices in Kashmir and Palestine would help in curbing terrorism.
Lord Nazir Ahmed of Lotheram said: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters in the Indian occupied Kashmir on their solidarity day.”
He added that the Kashmir solidarity day “is a time when the international world reminds them that they are here to support them.”
Lord Ahmed said there should be no difference between the UN resolutions under chapter six or chapter seven but they “need to be implemented.”
Lord Ahmed said India was building weapons of mass destruction.
“India is not only threatening the region of Kashmir, but is also disturbing the world peace because its new missile system can cover the whole of Middle East,” he said.
The international community should help resolve the Kashmir issue once and for all, he said.
MP Khalid Mehmood said he would, on his part, continue to work for projecting the cause of Kashmiri people and expose human rights violations in the held valley by the Indian forces.
He urged the British Kashmiris to write letters to their councillors, MPs and to the UK’s print and electronic media to tell them the extent of human rights abuses in Kashmir.
Khalid Mehmood said the British Kahmiris must intensify their lobbing at every level and find means to promote their cause.
“This is how a debate would begin on the issue and people would come to know of the human rights violations committed by the Indian forces,” said Mehmood, a Labour MP.
He criticized India for not allowing the international observers to monitor the so-called election in the occupied Kashmir. If India had nothing to hide, why it was so averse to welcoming international observers,” he queried. —APP
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