Pakistan cautions against draft report on Kashmir

Islamabad, Nov 30 (UNI) Pakistan has cautioned that the European Parliament's draft report on Jammu and Kashmir, currently being debated by its Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels, must take into account the sentiments and struggle of the Kashmiri people.

Dawn newspaper quoted Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam as saying that this is an individual's report which has been presented to the European Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee. In this context what is of importance and relevance will be the Kashmiri opinion.

The report brushes aside the demand for plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, calling it "wholly out of step" and against the 'interests' of the people there.

The rapporteur of the report titled "Kashmir, present situation and future prospects" is British Member of EP Baroness Emma Nicholson who visited India and Pakistan in June this year.

"Surely people from both parts of Kashmir and Kashmiri Diaspora, especially in Europe, will have a lot to comment on the report and the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Ms Aslam said.

"We can't prejudge the result of debate and discussion in the committee which will need to take into consideration the sentiments and struggle of Kashmiris over the past six decades and the need to promote a settlement of the Kashmir dispute that is acceptable first and foremost to Kashmiris," she said.

Apparently the draft report advocates a bilateral solution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue and underscores the need of support from the region, EU and the international community.

Ms Nicholson, the vice-chairperson of the EP's Foreign Relations Committee was appointed by the European Parliament to write a report on a final solution to the Jammu and Kashmir problem.

When Ms Nicholson visited Jammu and Kashmir on a fact-finding mission in June, she evoked criticism for interacting with only pro-India parties and not meeting separatist Kashmiri leaders, even the moderates among them, the paper said.

UNI/XC/BDP RS1442