President, British MPs call for an end to India’s human rights abuses in IIOJK

Abida Shaheen

Islamabad: President Dr Arif Alvi and the members of the United Kìngdom’s parliament on Thursday expressed deep concern over the human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (lIOJK) and the persecution of the minorities in India.

The matter was discussed as the Members of Parliament (MPs) and the representatives of the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora in the UK called on President Alvi here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The delegation was led by Chairman of Labour Friends of Kashmir UK, Shadow Minister Andrew Gwynne. The meeting highlighted the need for an action by the international community to put pressure on India to stop its human rights abuses in IIOJK. President Alvi said India was involved in the genocide of Muslims, persecution and suppression of minorities, burning and destroying the churches in Manipur, and the extra-judicial killings of the leaders of minority communities regionally and internationally. He said the psyche of India was changing as it had been influenced by the extremist Hindutva ideology which aimed to marginalize minorities, particularly the Muslims. He mentioned that Pakistan was committed to safeguarding the rights of its minorities, and took prompt action if any injustice was done to them. The president highlighted that India was trying to change the demographic structure of the IIOJK to transform the Kashmiri people into a minority in their own land. He urged the world to put pressure on India to reverse its illegal demographic changes in the occupied territory. UK Shadow Minister Andrew Gwynne expressee grave concern over the human rights violations and denial of rights to the people of IIOJK. The torture and brutalities being committed by India are unacceptable, he added. Gwynne mentioned the support for Kashmiri cause in the British parliament and underscored the need for putting pressure on India to hold a plebiscite in IIOJK to grant the people of Jammu and Kashmir their right to self-determination. He said revoking special status of IIOJK was allowing India to change the

demography of the valley. He further said that Pakistan and the UK enjoyed excellent relations in the fields of education and business that needed to be further improved for the betterment of the two countries. The delegation also expressed concern over the plight of minorities, particularly the Muslims, in the Indian Gujarat and IIOJK. President Alvi lauded the support of the Kashmiri diaspora in the UK and members of the British parliament for supporting the Kashmir cause.