British parliamentarians raise serious concern over human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir

LONDON, Oct 26 (APP):British Parliamentarians have raised serious concerns over human rights abuses in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) calling upon India to stop the abuses in held Kashmir and comply with UN Resolutions on Kashmir to allow Kashmiri people to exercise their birth right to self determination.
This voice was raised by the British parliamentarians and other speakers at a seminar organized by Pakistan High Commission London in connection with “Kashmir Black Day” at the British Parliament the other day.
They said that an Inquiry Report of APPG on Kashmir into human rights violations in IoK to be launched on Tuesday at the British Parliament.
Kashmir Black Day is observed on October 27 every year against the illegal occupation of Jammu & Kashmir by India.
This is the day, when, in 1947, India sent its armed forces to Jammu & Kashmir and occupied it in total violation of the Indian Independence Act and Partition Plan, and against the aspiration of the Kashmiri people.
Besides a large number of British Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora, the seminar was attended
by a number of British Parliamentarians and human rights activists who were actively working on resolution of the Kashmir issue.
The participants of the seminar strongly condemned Indian atrocities and human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK).
They said that unresolved Kashmir dispute was a permanent threat to the security of people of the region and global peace, specially after the nuclearization of South Asia as both Pakistan and India were the nuclear powers.
They urged India to end draconian laws in the IoK and meet its international obligation by giving the Kashmiris their right to self-determination, as enshrined in the UN resolutions.
On this occasion, Chairman All parties parliamentary group ( APPG) on Kashmir and member
parliament (MP) Chris Leslie announced that the Inquiry Report of APPG on Kashmir into human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir will be officially launched at the British Parliament on 30 October 30,2018. Subsequently, the Report will be presented to the British Parliament, UK Government, the United Nations and other international human rights bodies.
Acting Pakistan’s High Commissioner to United Kingdom (UK), Muhammad Ayub, in his remarks, urged the international community to come forward and play its role in immediate cessation of massive violations of human rights in Kashmir, and ending the impunity enjoyed by Indian security forces.
He said: “Despite commitments made by the early Indian leadership and numerous resolutions of the UN Security Council, the Indian Government has unleashed a reign of terror in the occupied Kashmir, in complete disregard for international human rights and humanitarian laws. Today, the plight of defenceless people in the occupied Kashmir is worse than ever.Their sufferings are indeed an affront to the conscience of humanity.”
The Acting High Commissioner added: “Pakistan welcomes the UN Secretary General’s statement, OIC resolution and the proposal by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to
establish a Commission of Inquiry for international investigation into human rights violations in the Indian
Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IoK).”
The seminar was chaired by Jack Brereton MP. Other Parliamentarians who spoke at the seminar included: Ian Lewis MP, Steve Baker MP, Lord Qurban Hussain, Faisal Rashid MP, Afzal Khan MP, Muhammad Yasin MP and Julie Cooper MP. Yasmin Dar represented the Jammu Kashmir Self Determination Movement International (JKSDMI), whereas Chairman Third World Solidarity
Alderman Mushtaq Lasharie moderated the event.
As short documentary on human rights violations in IoK was shown to the audience on the occasion and printed material in this regard was also distributed among the attendees.