Birmingham huddle urges UK, world to take meaningful action on Kashmir
Birmingham: A conference in Birmingham brought together politicians, human rights advocates, faith leaders and community representatives to highlight grave concerns over the human rights situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to renew calls for international action in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the conference titled “Kashmir: Stories of Courage, Loss and Hope” focused on restrictions on civil liberties, arbitrary detentions, demographic changes and the continued denial of the Kashmiri people’s UN-recognised right to self-determination.
Addressing the gathering, Chaudhry Habib-ur-Rehman Affaqi, Deputy Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami AJK & GB, explained the historical and legal background of the Kashmir dispute, while Fahim Kayani, President of All Parties Kashmir Alliance UK and Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, urged the UK government and the international community to move beyond statements and take meaningful, principled action.
Barrister Osman Noor highlighted violations of international law and the absence of accountability mechanisms, whereas Cllr Saima Suleman, a cabinet member of Birmingham City Council, stressed the need to uphold universal human rights standards without discrimination. Astrid Laich of Amnesty International referred to documented human rights concerns and called for independent international monitoring, while Toby Crowe, Vicar of St John’s Church, spoke on moral responsibility and solidarity with oppressed communities.
The conference was attended by Birmingham councillors Ikhlaq and Ashfaq, Abdeen from Palestine, independent candidate Nosheen, former councillor Iram Tahir, human rights activist Naila Asmat, Qamar Abbas, Chairman of Alum Rock Masjid, Mufti Majeed, Vice-President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, Naib Mughal, Raja Fazal ur Rehman, Farooq Qadari, Maulana Sajjad, Dr Khalid and Dr Saboor.
The event was organised by Chaudhry Ikram-ul-Haq, President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir Birmingham, and Kh Muhammad Suleiman, Director of the Kashmir Institute of Conflict Research (KIRC), Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK.
The conference concluded with a collective call for an end to India’s occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, independent international investigations into abuses, and recognition of the Kashmiri people’s right to determine their future peacefully.
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