ISLAMABAD – As another sign of international community’s attention towardsthe Kashmir dispute, the European Parliament is going to hold an historichearing on the human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir in Brussels.According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS) , the hearing will be led by a UNexpert. The exchange of views will take place in the human rights committeeand will focus on the UN report condemning the human rights abuses in IOK.Wajid Khan, a British Member of the European Parliament who wasinstrumental in securing the hearing said: “Today is monumental. For toolong the world has ignored the most militarised zone in the world. TheKashmiris have suffered brutal attacks, including sexual violence andforced disappearances.”
He further said, “Today’s hearing will not change that overnight, butfinally the international community is taking note. The world is watching,and hopefully together we can achieve peace.”
He said at one point, peace in Northern Ireland seemed distant and nearimpossible, but now it is hard to believe that the troubles happened inEurope only 20 years ago. This, he added, could also happen in Jammu andKashmir in case everyone worked towards establishing peace and prosperityin the region.Earlier, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg Mrs.Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi hosted a dinner in the honour of the Prime Ministerof Azad Kashmir, Raja Farooq Haider Khan and the Members of EuropeanParliament at the Pakistan House in Brussels, Monday night.Raja Farooq Haider Khan, speaking to media on the occasion, said thePakistanis expect that the Indian policy makers will not make suchstatements that will further aggravate the already tense situation existingbetween Pakistan and India. He said in such a case the situation would getout of control and the world would be left to rue only.Besides the AJK PM, the dinner was also attended by Wajid Khan MEP, SajjadKarim MEP, Julie Ward MEP, Afzal Khan MP, Raja Javed Iqbal MLA, JeanLambert MEP, Baroness Nosheena Mubarak MEP, Raja Najabat Hussain ChairmanJKSDMI, Cllr Yasmine Dar Chairperson,Sardar Sadique Khan, Ali Raza SyedChairman European Kashmir Council and local politicians.
