Speakers call for UK-Pakistan academic collaboration on Kashmir

There is a need for collaboration between academic institutions of the United Kingdom (UK) and Pakistan to study the Kashmir dispute, speakers said at an event in London hosted by Tehreek-e-Kashmir (TeK), UK.

The TeK hosted a seminar in the British Parliament to discuss possibilities and challenges of joint academic research between British and Pakistani universities to draw attention of the international organizations on human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in the light of international law.

Dr Afzal Khan, MP, shadow justice minister and chair of the APPG on UK-PAK Trade and Tourism, chaired the seminar and Fahim Kayani, president of TeK, UK, hosted it.

Renowned academician Prof Dr Muhammad Ali (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), vice-chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, was the chief guest on the occasion while British parliamentarians Imran Hussain, Yasmin Qureshi, Muhammad Yasin and Tahir Ali were guest speakers.

Dr Afzal Khan said, “Today’s topic is on a very important issue which is integration of Pakistani and UK academic research on humanitarian issues, especially Kashmir.” We must not forget that 1.4 million Pakistanis are residing in the UK and they are vital assets of the two countries, he said. He suggested the Pakistani government to formulate projects to engage the younger generation of British-Pakistani diaspora.

Imran Hussian, another MP and shadow minister in the UK, said the government of Pakistan and research department of various universities of Pakistan must continuously interact with the UK universities and overseas Kashmiri and Pakistani organizations like Tehreek-e-Kashmir, UK, working tirelessly for highlighting the sufferings of the Kashmiris under brutal occupation of India.

He said Kayani-led Tehreek-e-Kashmir also submitted a very well-documented petition on the plight of Kashmiri women with facts and figures to the office of the British Prime Minister. “Such reports on serious human rights violations by India in IIOJK need to be published regularly to garner the world’s attention,” Hussain added.

Terming the conference as a “good initiative”, MP Tahir Ali said he will send youth from his constituency to visit various universities and institutions of Pakistan to have better understanding.

“It is great to see many Pakistani students in this conference who are pursuing studies in various subjects in the UK universities,” said MP Muhammad Yasin.

Yasmin Qureshi, UK shadow minister said, “It is really a matter of pleasure that students have gathered to discuss a nuclear flashpoint i.e. Kashmir which deserves high-level academic research in accordance with international jurisprudence and ongoing other world issues.”

Muhammad Ali, the vice chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University, said the British parliamentarians play a pivotal role in highlighting the Kashmir dispute in international power corridors to expose human rights violations by India in IIOJK. He also said Quaid-e-Azam University passed a unanimous resolution condemning India’s illegal actions of repealing the Articles 370 and 35A and brutally laying military siege to Kashmir.

On the occasion, British lawmaker Dr Afzal Khan along with British parliamentarians and President of Tehreek-e-Kashmir, UK, Fahim Kayani presented a plaque of the British Parliament to Dr Muhammad Ali “in recognition of his services to higher education in Pakistan”.

He is the first Pakistani academician to receive the British Parliament plaque in the House of Commons.

Dr Ziaullah, Dr Jamal Abdul Nasir, Dr Maqsood Ahmad, Zaibunisa Khan, Miss Nudrat, Sohail, Sheni Hamid , Rehana Ali, Soraya Boyd, Naila Azmat and Raja Muhammad Azad also attended the seminar.