Brussels: (PR) A statement issued at end of annual Kashmir EU Week at EU parliament has asked international community special European Union to put pressure on India to immediately end siege of people of occupied Kashmir.
The 12th Kashmir EU Week (of 2019) was organized by the Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU) during this week at European Parliament. The event this year was hosted by Shaffaq Mohammed member of EU parliament (MEP) from UK. The main theme of the event was “Human Rights and Civil Liberties”, including the rights of the Kashmiri civilian population protected by International Treaties and Conventions.
The ultimate statement Kashmir EU Week said, the constant curfew for more than three months has increased the miseries of people in occupied Kashmir. It is duty of international community including Europe Union to take immediate steps in order to end the lockdown of the oppressed people of Kasmir, so that situation should be normalized in that occupied land. As well as people of Jammu and Kashmir should be provided a peaceful atmosphere where they can use their right to self determination in accordance with their wishes and according to United Nations resolutions.
The Kashmir EU Week program was included seminars, conferences, meetings with MEPs and other high ranking officials, press conference and media talks, a photo, book and handicrafts exhibition at the EU parliament.
During an international conference of Kashmir EU week at EU parliament, human rights in general and about human rights situation at present in Jammu and Kashmir were discussed. The conference was chaired by the host of the event, Saffaq Mohammed and the speakers were Raja Farooq Haider Khan, prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Ali Raza Syed, chairman of Kashmir Council EU, Sadia Mir, academic at City University in Economics, Dr. Sajjad Karim, former member of the European Parliament, Ms. Zeinab Drabu, a political activist of Kashmiri origin, Suraiya Siddiqi, a member of the Kashmir Global Council, Ewout Klei a historian and editor and Co-founder of the Student International League of Kashmir (SILK) Khaoula Siddiqi, the Canadian Kashmiri figure.
The conference was followed by a live video program distributed from the European Parliament’s open television studio. The title of the live video program was “Where do we go from here” and was moderated by Sadia Mir. The speakers of this live program were Raja Farooq Haider Khan, prime minister of Azad Kashmir, Ali Raza Syed Chairman KCEU and Kashmiri figure Sardar Sadique.
During the EU Week, AJK’s Prime Minister also met a number of members of European parliament (MEPs) from difference EU’s countries. These parliamentarians were included Lars Patrick BERG (Germany), Phil Bennion (UK), Julie Ward (UK), Chris DAVIES (UK), MEP Bernard Guetta(France), NART Javier (Spain) and Isabel Wiseler-Lima (Luxembourg), Lukas Mandl (Austria).
The PM informed the MEPs latest situation in Occupied Kashmir and as well tension developed because of continued gunfire by Indian forces at civilian population of AJK at line of control of Kashmir (LoC). Many of the MEPs shown their interest in the Kashmir issue and some of them specially MEPs from UK suggested the idea to visit Azad Kashmir in the spring time next year to see with their own eyes the real situation in the region. Prime Minister welcomed this initiative and promised to send personal invitation for those who are interested in the visit. During his stay in Brussels, AJK’s PM also met other important European figures including representatives of various NGOs including human rights organizations.
The exhibition of the week long Kashmir EU Week which had attracted many visitors was very successful celebrated the beauty of Kashmir and the handicrafts showed the richness of its cultural heritage. Among the visitors were members parliament, intellectuals and other important figures of European society. Two ex- ambassadors of the European Union who were also among the visitors, deeply interested in the books displayed during the exhibition as they served in South Asia and wanted to know more about the history of Kashmir.
A seminar was also held at Kashmir Council EU secretariat in connection with Martyrs Day of Jammu (6 November) during which AJK’s PM Raja Farooq Haider, Chairman Kashmir Council EU Ali Raza Syed and other speakers paid rich tribute to the Kashmiris martyrs including Martyrs of Jammu.
