MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): President Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry has said that the issue rooted in the flawed partition of British India continues to pose a threat to the South Asia region’s peace and stability.
While addressing British Parliamentarians in the House of Commons on Thursday, the President reminded British government of its moral obligations vis-a-vis the resolution of longstanding Kashmir dispute, saying the Kashmir issue arose after Britain left the subcontinent.
He termed Kashmir dispute as a constant threat to the region’s peace adding that the long pending dispute hangs on despite the lapse of 77 years.
He told the parliamentarians that Kashmiris have been desperately looking for help from the world community.
He reminded them about the highly volatile situation in the region, saying both Pakistan and India were two nuclear powers and any mishap in the highly volatile region could trigger a nuclear war. He said such a situation could jeopardize the peace of the entire region.
He said that the world community should realize the fact that peace in South Asia was inescapably linked to the settlement of the unresolved Kashmir dispute.
Kashmir issue
“The world community should bear in mind that the key to establishing peace in South Asia lies in resolving the Kashmir issue”, remarked the President.
He underlined the need for an inclusive dialogue to settle the lingering dispute peacefully. He said there was a dire need to associate Kashmiri leadership with dialogue process. The Kashmiris, he said, were the main stakeholders and a basic party to the dispute.
Barrister Chaudhry, however, maintained that bloodshed in the occupied territory and dialogue cannot go together. He said that the global community must exert its pressure on Indian government to stop bloodbath of innocent Kashmiris.
Barrister Chaudhry said that the RSS-influenced regime has broken all records of barbarism and brutality as referred to the continued bloodshed and violence in the Indian occupied Kashmir.
Barrister Chaudhry said: “India has now become a certified sponsor of global terrorism”. He said that Canada and other countries of the world have also shared evidence of India’s involvement in terrorist activities abroad.
He expressed concern about the brutal repression and persecution of religious minorities in India, saying that India has virtually been transferred into a fascist state where there is no space for other minorities.
The members of the British Parliament and House of Commons including Imran Hussain, Debbie Abrahams, Grahame Morris, Matt Turmain, Neil Duncan Jordan, Jon Trickett, Tahir Ali, John McDonnel, Harpreet Uppal of Lords Lord Qurban Hussain, Ian Lavery MP, Ayub Khan, Baroness Pola Uddin, Jas Atwal MP, Muhammad Iqbal, Andrew Pakes, Baroness Nosheena Shaheen Mobarik, Paula Barker, Kate Dearden, Baroness Shaista Gohir, Gill Furness Furniss, Sally Jameson, Manuela Perteghella, Anna Dixon, Will Forster MP and others were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, members of the British Parliament assured the AJK President of their continued support to Kashmiris’ legitimate political struggle.
They also assured of raising their voice in support of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination within and outside the Parliament.
