Pakistani, Kashmiris make mark in UK poll

The ethnic Pakistani and Kashmiri politicians continued their winning streak in the British general elections, producing the “most diverse” parliament in UK history.

At least 15 Pakistani and Kashmiri-origin MPs were out of 87 candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds who were elected to the British parliament, results of elections held on Thursday showed.

Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora groups have welcomed their win and said the larger community expects them to raise their issues including those of living under illegal occupation in Kashmir and Palestine.

Afzal Khan, Imran Hussain, Naz Shah, Yasmin Qureshi, Muhammad Yasin, Tahir Ali, Shabana Mahmood, Zara Sultana, Dr Zubair Ahmed, Naushabah Khan, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan were elected on Labour Party tickets while Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain won elections as Independent candidates.

Saqib Bhatt and Nusrat Ghani won the polls as Conservative candidates.

Labour Party won a comfortable majority to form the government on its own.

Fahim Kayani, a prominent leader of Kashmir and Pakistani diaspora groups, extended congratulations to the winning candidates.

“The win of these candidates from minority groups is a big boost for the communities,” Kayani said. “It is a message of hope and prosperity.”

However, Kayani said the winning candidates got their major votes from those who expect the newly-elected lawmakers to become the voice of Kashmiris and Palestinians.

“What is good is that the number of pro-Kashmir, which equals to being pro-justice, lawmakers has increased,” Kayani said, pointing out that some 50 candidates of the Labour Party, who support the right to self-determination of Kashmiris, have won the polls.

But, he lamented, “there is loss of Kashmir’s voice among Conservatives as six lawmakers of outgoing parliament were defeated this time, including chair of Conservative friends of Kashmir Paul Bristow, who lost by just 118 votes.”

“Kashmiris and Palestinians expect these newly-elected lawmakers to be their voice and force the new Labour government to engage India and Israel to allow Kashmiris and Palestinians to decide their future,” said Kayani, the Kashmiri diaspora leader.