Pakistan

Kashmir issue: UK councillor urges resolution of dispute

Asks Kashmiris to vote for the party in UK polls which supports Kashmir cause.

MA Mir March 10, 2015

Lancashire County Councillor Dr Misfar Hassan. PHOTO: council.lancashire.gov.uk

MUZAFFARABAD: A British Labour Party councilor called upon the one-million-strong Kashmiri disapora to use their vote wisely in Britain’s parliamentary polls for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Misfar Hassan, a Pakistani-born Kashmiri, said that in the upcoming polls overseas Kashmiris have decided to vote only for the party which would assure them to support the Kashmir cause and work for its permanent settlement as per the wishes of the Kashmiris.

“The Labour Party is going to review its Kashmir policy and overseas Kashmiris settled in the UK are trying to convey to Labour leaders that supporting Kashmir cause will not only help them get nearly one million Kashmiris’ votes but also support them in their peacemaking efforts in South Asia where the Kashmir dispute is the main threat to regional peace,” he added.

The people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he noted, have made matchless sacrifices which we have to make the UK political parties to realise that Kashmir issue was created by Britain and its final and durable resolution is the moral duty of the people of the UK and its elected representatives.

Replying to a question, Dr Misfar said both Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan governments should empower the overseas Kashmiris and Pakistanis to raise the Kashmir dispute in the policy-making circles of Britain and Europe.

Now Kashmiris have decided that they will not oppose the talks between Pakistan and India and will continue to mount pressure on both the countries to accommodate Kashmiris in talks too, he affirmed.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (9)

Misfar Hassan | 9 years ago | Reply Agree with Kashmiri that West the UK left the dispute but the stark reality is that our politicians have never tried anything seriously to resolve it Now the time has come the West would be seriously realising the consequences of this conflict particularly the damage being caused to the environment due to ongoing battle on the highest battle ground causing melting of one of the largest glaciers and UK EU AND US getting devastating floods as a result of environmental damage and this is the reason I am raising awareness in the populations being affected here as is increasing risks of extremism my leader Mr KH Khurshid warned the world leaders about these dangers in the 1970s but it takes a while to get opinions changed

kashmiri | 9 years ago | Reply Whilst the West don't want peace in our countries there can't be any peace. If Pakistan and India were ever to become friendly nations they would be a force to be reckoned with military, commercially and therefore not in the interest of West. The West have deliberately left this bone of contention so that we keep this infighting between us whilst they continue to control us from a distance. How much effort have they really put to solve this issue They have only began to promote and accept India as a major trading nation before making sure they had a fifty years head start and that is another way they cause disharmony between Pakistan and India population We should have peace our politicians to be more bothered about their neighbours first rather than what's happening 7000 Miles away.

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Misfar Hassan | 9 years ago | Reply There is no doubt that the entire population irrespective of their religion caste or creed it's time for people of J&K to take a lead and help India Pakistan to let peace prevail in the sub continent issue of Kashmir has no relation to religion it's a matter of exercising civil and political rights as as well as to preserve our identity

sumit | 9 years ago | Reply There will never be any resolution to this issue until & unless......the concerns of about 4 million non-muslim people of jammu & kashmir state........kashmir issue must be resolved according to the wishes of kashmiris, people of Jammu region & people of Ladakh region. until their voice are heard, addressed, there will be rarely any resolution to this issue.

Misfar Hassan | 9 years ago | Reply i am working at the International forums to promote peace through resolution of Kashmir issue according to the wishes of the people of Kashmir. I am grateful to the Tribune as since publication of this story I was contacted by the British press who wanted to know how this can be achieved and things have moved on since then many organisations are getting involved to work towards promoting peace and self determination for people of kashmir

Dr Rizwan Wani | 9 years ago | Reply One million Kashmiris and other two million Muslim settled in UK should vote to those politicians and parties who will help to make the world safer while settling Kashmir and Palestine issues. I don't think that there is any harm to vote for Kashmir solution in the 2015 UK elections...

Dr Huma | 9 years ago | Reply They have right to link their vote with Kashmir solution to bring peace in South Asia that is a good idea not bad....World should support them...

Raj - USA | 9 years ago | Reply Stupid politician is askind British Citizens to vote for Kashmir cause not in the interests of UK. This is how they encourage and make muslims disloyal to their adopted country UK.

ajeet | 9 years ago | Reply So they think about this when they have spare time from Rotterham style grooming?

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