UK wants a peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute: MPs

ISLAMABAD – The British Parliament is interested in finding a permanent solution to the dispute of Kashmir between India and Pakistan. All political parties of the United Kingdom are united over the issue and All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir, a group of parliamentarians from the UK, said on Sunday.
The group, headed by Lord Nazir Ahmed currently on a visit to Pakistan, held meetings with various leaders and later in the evening, addressed a press conference along with former prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mehmood.
“This is an important delegation from the UK. It has representation from all important parties as there is a growing interest in the British Parliament for permanent resolution of the dispute of Kashmir,” Andrew Griffiths, member of the UK Parliament, said.
The UK wanted that Pakistan and India should engage in dialogue for resolving the dispute permanently, he said, adding that there was a burning desire in his country that the dispute should be resolved. Richard Harrington, another UK parliamentarian, said the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office was taking deep interest in the visit of the All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir, as it wanted that the group, after meeting with Kashmiri people, should give peoples’ view to enable the UK government to assist India and Pakistan in resolving the Kashmir issue with clarity.
When questioned about the UK’s view regarding Bhutan talks, Harrington said the dialogue was essential and the only way-out for resolving the conflict. The two countries should avoid too much publicity about the dialogue, as it was observed in Middle East peace dialogue that talks sometimes were ruined by media hype.
When asked about British Premier David Cameron’s statement which he had made in India that Pakistan was sponsoring terrorism, Harrington said, “We all are here, which means that Cameron government is committed to resolving the conflict.”
Lord Nazir Ahmed said the visit by the All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir was historic. When asked about the UK government’s stance about the issue of Raymond Davis, he said it would be better if the issue was not discussed today. Earlier, Barrister Sultan said the Afghanistan issue could not be resolved unless the Kashmir dispute was settled. He said the whole world had recognised that the ongoing uprising in Kashmir was an indigenous resistance movement.
The delegation also met Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Later, talking to journalists along with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Shujaat said the Kashmiri people were fighting for their rights and India could not suppress their resistance with arms, adding that Pakistan should take a bold stance over the issue of Kashmir.
Mushahid Hussain also spoke on the occasion and said the road to peace in Kabul passed through Kashmir.