“Ali Raza Syed welcomes publication of the document”
Brussels: (Parliament Times) The European Parliament’s Research Service on Wednesday presented a briefing paper on Kashmir in the House, which sheds light on different dimensions of Kashmir dispute since its inception in 1947 till date.
The briefing paper titled “Kashmir: 70 years of dispute” at a glance is well documented summary that gives a detailed insight about the cause and consequences of the lingering dispute. “Kashmir, located between China, India and Pakistan, has been at the heart of a complex, 70-year dispute between Delhi and Islamabad, which has strained bilateral relations and impeded the development of stronger ties in the whole of South Asia. In the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, an uprising against Delhi’s rule has been ongoing since 1989”, the paper said adding that in June 2018, a UN human rights report on Kashmir called for establishing a commission of inquiry into multiple violations from both sides.
In a reference to plebiscite the document says that the UN resolution 47 (1948) laid out the steps for holding a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir but due to various reasons the plebiscite was never held. Regarding the peaceful settlement of dispute the Paper while mentioning European Union’s stand on the issue, says that the EU firmly upholds the resolution of disputes through dialogue and constructive engagement.
About the human rights situation in Indian occupied Kashmir the European Parliament’s Research Service Paper while referring to recently published UNHCR report on Kashmir pointed out that the first-ever UN human rights report calls for establishing a commission of inquiry into the multiple violations committed on both sides of the LoC. “UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called to curb excessive use of force by the Indian security forces, which has led to unlawful killings and a very high number of injuries. The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act 1990 (AFSPA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978 (PSA) give security forces virtual immunity against prosecution for any kind of human-rights violations, including enforced or involuntary disappearances and rape. Since 2016, hundreds of Kashmiri protesters have been blinded by Indian shotgun pellets used as a ‘non-lethal’ crowd control measure”, the paper said.
It is pertinent to note here that the document was prepared for, and addressed to, the Members and staff of the European Parliament as background material to assist them in their parliamentary work.
Meanwhile, the chairman Kashmir Council EU Ali Raza Syed has welcomed the publication of this document. “We have consistently stated that the dispute between India & Pakistan has never received the attention it deserves from the international press & media. This summary goes some way to correct this”, he said adding that this document provides an excellent overview of the current situation in Kashmir emphasizing the militarization of Indian-administered Kashmir & outlining the issues that have been vividly described in the recent report of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights.