Million March’: A Befitting Reply To Indian Aggression Date: 20 Oct 2014 ‘Million March’: A Befitting Reply To Indian Aggression London : A former prime minister of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir has maintained that the proposed Kashmir Million March later this month in London would frustrate the Indian designs which claims the region as its integral part. Speaking to The Asians, Barrister Sultan Mahmood, who is also a central leader of Pakistan Peoples Party Azad Kashmir, said that ‘Kashmir Million March’ on 26 October in London would not only highlight the grave human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir but also to call on Britain to play its role in helping the Kashmiris obtain their legitimate right of self-determination. Although several Kashmiri religious and political parties, including the nationalist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, are supporting this march, Barrister Sultan is leading the effort for this march and has been campaigning for it for over three weeks now in London, Bradford, Birmingham, Luton, Slough and Manchester. Of an estimated 1.3 million British Pakistanis, nearly 800,000 are originally from Pakistan Admimistred Kashmir, mainly from Mirpur and the adjacent areas. He also condemned the firing by the Indian security forces on the Line of Control with Pakistan which killed and injured many Pakistanis civilians. Mahmood termed the approach of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as very aggressive and hostile. The Barrister demanded of the United Nations to take notice of the killing of the innocent Kashmiris as a result of such firing. He said that the proposed Million March in London on October 26 would be befitting reply to the Indian aggression. He pointed out that in 1947 the world body made a promise with the Kashmiris for according them the right of self-determination. Mahmood also demanded that the Indian Prime Minister instead of issuing provocative statements should withdraw 800,000 Indian forces deployed in the disputed territory. He was of the view that before peace and trade between Pakistan and India, the Kashmiris would have to be given the right to decide their fate as has been done recently in Scotland. “The response we have received is tremendous. Kashmiri community in Britain is very charged especially after the recent Scottish referendum and the parliamentary vote in favour of recognising the state of Palestine. These are huge steps forward and our communities played a massive role in these campaigns. They are very conscious of the fact that their own motherland Kashmir is under the worst kind of Indian occupation. They want to help Kashmiris get freedom from Indian tyranny.” He said that Kashmiris were in favour of dialogue between the India and Pakistan but wanted to be part of this dialogue. “Talks cannot succeed about other issues unless the issue of Kashmir is made central part of these talks, its important to resolve Kashmir issue to establish peace between the two countries as well as in the region.” Mahmood claimed that by recording their protest on October 26, the British Pakistanis and Kashmiris would draw the world attention towards the Indian atrocities in the held Kashmir and that the Kashmiris would continue their struggle for attaining their basic rights. He said that Kashmiri organisations have decided to carry on campaigning at the public level in Britain and Europe to exert pressure on India for the resolution of Kashmir issue as per wishes of the Kashmiri people and to stop severe human right violations of Kashmiris by India. To a question, Sultan said that coaches will reach London from over a dozen cities. Speeches will be made at the Trafalgar Square and then the marchers will move towards 10 Downing Street where another rally will be held outside PM David Cameron’s residence Street and a petition will be presented to Prime Minister David Cameron. He said Sikh organisations and many human rights groups have also assured of their support for the march. Barrister Sultan and Andrew Griffiths MP, chair of the All Parities Kashmir Committee in the House of Commons, will also address a press conference in the British parliament ahead of the march.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 04:37:23 +0000
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