LONDON, — The Pakistan High Commission in London organized a seminar to commemorate Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir, marking the anniversary of India’s August 5, 2019 constitutional changes concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
The event brought together British parliamentarians, legal experts, human rights advocates, community leaders, academics, and members of the Kashmiri diaspora to discuss the political and humanitarian situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Among the participants were Lord Qurban Hussain, Baroness Nosheena Mobarik, MP Afzal Khan, MP Adnan Hussain, Councillor Yasmin Dar, Liaqat Ali MBE, Chairman of the UK-Pakistan Kashmiri Councillors Forum, Raja Najabat Hussain, Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Self-Determination Movement International (JKSDMI), and former Peterborough Deputy Mayor Mohammad Nadeem.
Speakers strongly criticized India’s decision to revoke the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir through the abrogation of Article 370, describing the move as unilateral and contrary to international legal principles.
The participants reaffirmed solidarity with the people of Kashmir and called for an immediate end to alleged human rights violations in the disputed territory. They stressed that a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute should be achieved in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, which recognize the right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination.
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During the seminar, participants proposed a strategic roadmap aimed at engaging key international policymakers to support a just and lasting resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue and international diplomacy.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Mohammad Faisal Tipu Usman, urged the international community, particularly the United Kingdom, to support justice by encouraging India to reverse the constitutional measures introduced on August 5, 2019. He also called for the restoration of the rights and special status previously enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir while emphasizing respect for relevant UN resolutions.
Messages from President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar were read during the event.
The seminar concluded with participants observing a one-minute silence in tribute to those who lost their lives in the Kashmir conflict.
