Nationwide petition launched for help to stop human rights abuse in Kashmir
John Dickens • Published 31 Jul 2012 07:30
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Mohammed Ayub (pen) with Professor Nazir Ahmed Shawl (paper) launch the petition with Mohammed Ibrahim, Rabnawaz Khan, Mo Roomy and Gulstan Khan
at the Stoke Poges Lane Mosque
PIC: 124592
Picture: Mike Swift
A PASSIONATE plea for help to stop daily human rights abuse in the conflict-torn region of Kashmir was launched with a nationwide petition on Friday.
The Kashmir Centre UK is calling on 'peace-serving' people to back its petition - pleading for MPs to debate the issue in the House of Commons.
The region of Jammu and Kashmir is embroiled in an ongoing territorial dispute between neighbouring countries India and Pakistan.
The petition asks for the British Government's help in winning self-determination for all Kashmiris - so they can decide their own fate and end the suffering.
Mohammed Ayub, president advisory council of the centre, was due to launch the petition at Stoke Poges Lane Mosque, Slough, today.
He said: "This issue needs to be settled. We need any peace-serving person, who believes in the freedom of the people, to sign the petition and support Kashmiris.
"If the issues is debated in Parliament it will send a message across the world to take notice and help stop the killing of innocent people."
An eye-opening documentary, called Kashmir's Torture Trail, was aired on Channel 4 on July 10.
The programme exposed a string of violence and human rights abuse in the region they called the most 'militarised place on earth'.
Mr Ayub, from Slough, added: "Thousand of Kashmiris live in Slough. Imagine how we feel when we see these horrific pictures and read the news. We have been campaigning for a long time and now we need a solution. We want to spread this message across the country."
Mr Ayub is urging constituents from the UK to sign the petition before presenting it to their MP.
Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan for more than 50 years. A boundary currently splits the region in two - with one part administered by India and one Pakistan.
India wants to make the current boundary accepted in international law, but Pakistan and Kashmiri activists want greater control of the region.
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