Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: India has refused to allow the entry to the fact-finding parliamentary group on Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), consisting of four British members and one member from the EU Parliament.

The group comprising of members from both houses of British parliament and member from EU Parliament visited forward locations along with the line of control in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) on the invitation of government of Pakistan.

“We were not given Indian visa when applied at Indian high commission in London to visit occupied Kashmir”, Lord Qurban, one of the members told daily times.

“Our purpose was to find facts over LOCs violations by India and asses latest human rights situation in IHK”, he added.

Ms. Anthea McIntyre, chairperson of friends of Kashmir group in EU Parliament while talking to daily times said that upon returning to Brussels, she would hold international conference on Kashmir for which she has invited speakers from occupied Kashmir, AJK and Pakistan among other countries. She said that she would highlight the issue of the plight of Kashmiris in the conference. She slammed India for suppressing the voice of the people of Kashmir and their rights in IOK.

MP Faisal Fashid regretted the silence of international community over Indian atrocities in IHK and said this must be stopped.

MP Chris Leslie told daily times that the conflict of IHK needs urgent attention from the international community and there should be a resolution on the issue as soon as possible.

In their assignment, the delegation has to finalise comprehensive fact-finding report by the end of current year about situation in IHK & AJK, which would be laid before British parliament as well as before EU parliament.

The members of the delegation mixed freely with people living along with LOC escorted by Pakistan army and talked freely and obtained information about damages inflicted due to unprovoked heavy shelling by Indian forces.

The members of the delegation during their stay in AJK held meetings with AJK President and Prime Minister, and while in Islamabad held meeting with foreign Minister Shah mehmood Qureshi. Despite request of the meeting with Prime Minister Imran Imran Khan the delegation was not given time, which they regretted.

The members of the group are Lord Qurban, MP faisal rashid, MP Imran Hussain, MP Chris Leslie and a member of EU parliament representing UK Ms. Anthea McIntyre.

Published in Daily Times, September 28^th 2018.