Chudhary seeks Intl community’s support to settle Kashmir dispute

Baker urges India, Pak to resolve issues peacefully

NISAR AHMED THOKAR

Islamabad, Apr 12: Terming Kashmir as an unfinished agenda of the partition of Indian subcontinent, Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PaK) Prime Minister, Chudhary Abdul Majeed has said the Britain should play its much needed role to get the issue resolved on the universally accepted principle of right to self-determination.
“Notwithstanding the commitments made with the people of Kashmir, India tried to resolve Kashmir by using its military might”, Chudhary Majeed said this while addressing a press conference at Kashmir House on Thursday.
Flanked by British parliamentarian, Steve Baker the PaK premier said that instead of giving Kashmiris their right to self-determination, “the successive regimes in India tried to stifle their voice.” The prime minister praised the British parliament for his unprecedented role and holding Kashmir-centric debate in the parliament. Referring to Britain’s reputation as mother of all democracies Chudhary said that it was moral responsibility of the country (UK) to settle this long pending dispute to ensure durable peace in the region. He also appealed the international community to help resolve the dispute of Kashmir.
Responding to a query the PaK premier said that Kashmiris’ were not against India, but they were against its policies depriving Kashmiris of their fundamental rights.
Expressing satisfaction over the meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, he said that the meeting would be helpful in creating conducive atmosphere for talks.
Speaking on the occasion, Steve Baker said that it was high time that the UK should play its effective role to bring about a peaceful solution of Kashmir issue. He was of the view that the United Nations should also play a role in setting up a rule of law whereby member countries should be made legally bound to fulfill the commitments/pledges made with the international community.
Assuring his full support to Kashmir cause, Baker said that he would promote and project Kashmiris’ cause for right to self-determination besides sensitizing the masses in Britain vis-à-vis Kashmiri peoples’ fundamental rights. He said the United Kingdom wants that both India and Pakistan should resolve all disputes including Kashmir through peaceful means.
He was of the opinion that both the nations should explore the ways and means to settle Kashmir issue in accordance with Kashmiris’ aspirations.
To a question, Baker agreed that the world powers were relatively less concerned about the human rights violations in Kashmir.  Regarding the recent meeting between Indian Premier and Pakistan President Baker hoped that the meeting would go a long way to strengthen peace process in the region besides helping the neighbouring states to resolve all issues that have been bedeviling the relations between the two countries.