BRUSSELS: Member European Parliament (MEP) and Trade Chief Sajjad Karim on Thursday raised the issue of the use of pellet guns in India-held Kashmir (IHK) against the Kashmiri youth with the European Union (EU) trade commissioner.
While replying to a question during an International Trade (INTA) Committee meeting within the European Parliament, Dr Karim gave an update on the stalled EU-India Free Trade talks in relation to the atrocities being committed by Indian forces in IHK.
Speaking at the committee meeting, Dr Karim said, “First of all, some months ago Commission Presidents Juncker and Council President Tusk made their way to India to try and revive the EU-India Free Trade talks. Ever since then things have fallen absolutely silent and when things fall silent, it worries me because it means either nothing is happening or something is happening that I don’t know about.”
“The fact is that you have been silent today on this as well prompts me to put that question to you but one thing I must say is that my mailbag is absolutely full of representations about the situation that is unfolding in Kashmir at this stage, where pellet guns are being used in order to blind, malm and kill people. International human rights organisations are giving a lot of accounts of what is happening but they are being denied access there, so it is particularly important that we have an update as to where those talks have arrived at,” he said.
Commissioner Malmstorms, while responding, addressed all the issues raised by the British MEP on the EU-India Free Trade talks except on the most important point of Kashmir and the human rights abuses. She said, “Progress is being made and there is constructive willingness from the Indians but the two sides are still not at the same level of ambition.”
