London, September 04, 2019 (PPI-OT):The United Kingdom has said any allegations of human rights violations in occupied Kashmir since India revoked the special status of the territory must be thoroughly, promptly and transparently investigated.
The British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, addressing in the House of Commons, the lower house of the Parliament, said “All and any allegations of human rights violations are deeply concerning. They must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently.”
Dominic Raab told Members of Parliament in the House of Commons in the first parliamentary session after a long summer recess that he had raised the concerns with the Indian External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, during a conversation on August 7 and that the UK will carefully monitor the situation in Kashmir.
“In relation to detentions, potential mistreatment and also the communications blackout, I raised those issues with the Indian Foreign Minister. The Indian government has made clear that they are only temporaneous, as strictly required. And of course, we would want to hold them to that undertaking,” Raab said while addressing an Oral Questions session which opened with a series of questions related to the Kashmir issue.
The British Foreign Secretary stressed that the human rights concerns made Kashmir an international issue. “The issue of human rights is not just a bilateral issue for India or Pakistan or a domestic issue, it is an international issue we expect internationally recognised human rights to be complied with and respected,” he said, addressing a question from Conservative Party MP Steve Baker, who represents a large Kashmiri-origin constituency of Wycombe in south-east England.
MPs from different sides of the Commons raised a series of questions over the Kashmir issue, including demanding an end to the blockade in occupied Kashmir as well as independent observers to be deployed to the territory.
Raab said, “We want to see a reduction of tensions in Kashmir, respect for internationally recognised human rights and steps from all sides to rebuild confidence.”
The Indian government revoked Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, withdrawing the special status of occupied Kashmir. Since then the Kashmir valley and five district of Jammu region are under strict clampdown with internet, mobile and landline services suspended and of TV channels shut.
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