Wajid condemns violation of human rights in Kashmir

 

Terming the present situation in the Valley as grave, Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan strongly condemned the violation of human rights in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Speaking at a reception arranged by Pakistan Society at the High Commission on 27 August 2008, Hasan said the peaceful demonstrations of Kashmiris are suppressed and their leaders arrested which has exacerbated the situation.

 

While expressing Pakistan’s resolve to settle all its disputes with India including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue and peaceful means, he reassured that his country will continue extending its moral, political and democratic support to the Kashmiris in their just struggle to achieve their inalienable right to self-determination as pledged to them by the United Nations.

 

“Pakistan believes that any solution to the Kashmir issue should be acceptable to the people of Kashmir,” he said.

 

The High Commissioner called on the British political parties to work for resolution of this long outstanding issue which has bedevilled relations between the two nuclear armed neighbours.

 

He recalled how during his previous tenure as the High Commissioner, the Labour Party had included in its election manifesto a promise to work for the resolution of Kashmir problem according to the UN resolutions.

 

Mr. Hasan informed the guests about the launching of Conservative Friends of Pakistan Association during the party’s annual conference on September 29 in Birmingham.

 

He also spoke of the warm and friendly relations between Pakistan and UK and said both the countries are working hard to further strengthen the ties to the mutual benefit of their people.

 

In his regard, he appreciated the role of Pakistan Society which was established in 1951 in promoting the relations between the two countries and especially of its chairman Anthony Palmer and Secretary Shama Husain.

 

The High Commissioner mentioned several difficult phases, Pakistan has gone through since its inception including the recent assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the martyrdom of her father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

 

He said both gave their lives in following vision of founding leaders Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal of Pakistan being a liberal, moderate, secular and democratic state.

 

“The credible elections held in Pakistan this year are a manifestation of the fact that the only system acceptable to the people is democracy,” Mr. Hasan said.

 

Speaking about the September 6 Presidential elections, he said the ruling party is trying to take all political parties on board while making decisions in the best national interests. “It is promoting healthy, democratic and positive political activities across the country,” he added.

 

The High Commissioner said scourge of extremism and terrorism besetting Pakistan could be eliminated by reverting to Mr. Jinnah’s vision of equality of all its citizens irrespective of their caste, creed or colour.

 

 

London

August 28, 2008