Bradford Conference calls for Kashmiri umbrella organisation in UK

March 1, 1998

Bradford: Kashmiris activists in Britain are to form stronger links through an umbrella organisation committed to raising awareness of the Kashmir Issue through out the European union. This was decided during an All Parties Conference on Kashmir organised by UK Muslim Conference (Sikandar) held in Bradford at the weekend. Among the first group of people that Kashmiris intend to convince have to be the British government who, as the party in opposition, had pledged to raise the international profile of the Kashmiris campaign of self-determination if elected to government. They claimed that since then the government's attitude has only resulted in a sense of disappointment for Kashmiri independence campaigners. This feeling of voiced by councilor Sabia and former councilor Rangzeb who told the conference participants that the time had come to seek answers from the foreign secretary Robin Cook and influence him to take urgent action to ensure that a plebiscite in Kashmir can take place while Labour government was in power and had the presidency of the European Union on its side.

The debt owed by some Mps to their Kashmiri constituents was acknowledged by Fabian Hamilton MP from Leeds who told conference participants that he could not have been successful at the general election with the round the clock efforts of his Kashmiri constituents. Former Tory MP and a leading member of the Friends of Kashmir, Gary Waller, as well as Labour's European MP Micheal McGovern spoke at length to pledge their continued support for the struggling Kashmiris.

However other speakers at the conference pointed out that Kashmiris themselves had to form a united front on the issue to recieve international support. Councillor Nazir Ahmed and Azmat Khan of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front told the conference that Kashmiris would have to change their style of politics if they were to make progress in seeking help to resolve the issue. Other speakers questioned the commitment of so-called friends of Kashmir back home. Local heads of Muslim Conference, Liberation League and Peoples party praised the efforts of Kashmir Mujhadins and pledged to continue their support.

Amongst other dignitaries Bradford based head of the World Islamic mission, Pir Maroof Hussain Naushai and Pakistani Consulate general were also present. The conference was chaired by the organisor, Raja Najabat, president of Muslim Conference.

The Conference adopted a number of resolutions including one calling for immediate cessation of human rights abuses in occupied areas. ENDs