LONDON: Lawmakers, activists, professionals and students, emphasizing the need for mass awareness regarding the right to self-determination, reminded the British government of its responsibility on Kashmir.
During a roundtable conference hosted by Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK President, Fahim Kayani, in the British parliament to commemorate 76 years of illegal occupation of Kashmir by India, the participants discussed the highly militarized situation in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Chaired by Shadow Minister Jess Phillips, the roundtable conference in “unequivocal terms extended its support to the just cause of Kashmiris which is right to self-determination” as enshrined in various resolutions passed by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
Among the participants were Debbie Abraham, MP and Chairperson of All Parties Kashmir Parliamentary Group for Kashmir, Andrew Gwynne, MP and Chairman of Labour Friends of Kashmir, Kim Leadbeater, MP, Yasmin Qureshi MP, Paul Blomfield, MP, Muhammad Yasin, MP, Rachel Hopkins, MP, Lord Wajid Khan and Simon Lightwood, MP.
Muzzammil Ayyub Thakur and Shaista Safi presented testimonies of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by India in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The duo are natives of IIOJK, living in exile.
India sent its forces to occupy Jammu and Kashmir on October 27, 1947, which triggered a mass mobilization against New Delhi’s illegal military rule.
The conference decried the grave human rights situation in the occupied territory, especially after August 2019 when the Modi-led fascist Indian government repealed its special status and imposed military siege in the territory.
It is incumbent upon the British lawmakers to press their government to stand up and stop India from its state terrorism in the occupied territory, the participants of the conference added.
The participants also expressed concern over the muzzling of the vibrant local media in IIOJK, which has seen well-designed clampdown by the Modi-led Indian regime in IIOJK.
Proposals made by Fahim Kayani on the occasion included urging the British government to “convince the United Nations to prevail upon India to repeal all draconian laws including Unlawful Activity (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA), which are being used to forcibly silence the people into submission.”
Calling for release of political prisoners, including Masarat Alam Butt, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Naheeda Nasreen, Fehmeeda Sofi, Khurram Parvez, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Zafar Akbar Butt, the roundtable conference said, “The British government must support setting up an enquiry commission on human rights violations in Kashmir during the forthcoming session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva to be held in February 2024.”
Mushtaq Lashari, Councillor Majid Hussain, Naila Azmat and Councillor M Nazir also spoke on the occasion, expressing support to the people of IIOJK.
