British MPs for peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue

MPs call for a comprehensive dialogue between Pakistan and India over the dispute.

MUZAFFARABAD: British parliamentarians have stressed the need for peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue, which is vital for establishing durable peace in South Asia.

They called for a comprehensive dialogue between Pakistan and India over the dispute.

Addressing receptions held for the visiting MPs by Azad Kashmir Prime Minister and other political parties in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur, Secretary General of British parliament’s Kashmir committee Richard Irwin Harrington assured Kashmiris of their full support in their struggle.

“I assure you that we will use our offices to put Kashmir at the top of the list of British Foreign office agenda,” he said. The team is headed by Chairman of All Parties Parliamentary Kashmir Committee (APPKC), Lord Nazir Ahmad.

Andrew James Griffiths said that solution of Kashmir is not only in the benefit of India and Pakistan but also of world.

“We want that Kashmiris have say in the negotiations between India and Pakistan over Kashmir,” he said.

Simon Christopher Dancuk of the Labour Party said “I have thousands of British Kashmiri voters in my constituency and I had promise to them that I will visit Kashmir to educate myself on Kashmir dispute and today I am in Kashmir and I had fulfilled the promise.

Prime minister AJK Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan while addressing the reception lauded the role of Britain in the post-earthquake reconstruction phase in AJK and in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

“The earthquake taught us a hard lesson — that is to explore, exploit and market the indigenous resources,” Attique said, citing rich minerals, hydropower generation and tourism potential of the state.

He suggested that Line of Control should be reduced into a line of commerce that will helps resolve the conflict. “It is a healing panacea,” the premier said.

“So let us have an open trade, intra-Kashmir trade. He proposed formation of a British parliamentarian’s South Asian relations caucus.

The settlement of Kashmir dispute has global dividends. The worries of friends of Pakistan, India and Kashmiris would end, he remarked.

Speaking at a reception at Mirpur, hosted by the former chairman of the District Council Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar and Chief Executive of Valley Homes, MP Richard Harrington said international human rights observers be allowed to visit the Indian Kashmir to assess the human rights abuses in disputed state.

Speaking on the occasion, former Chief Justice of Azad Kashmir High Court Abdul Majeed Malik pointed out that ‘Quit Kashmir Movement’ launched by the youth in Jammu and Kashmir was a clear message to India that Kashmiris could not accept the Indian illegal occupation over their motherland any more.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2011.