ISLAMABAD, July 28: “Kashmir must not be regarded a forgotten issue, but the issue has touched alarming proportions due to the reign of worst terror India has unleashed against the defenseless Kashmir people for the last seven decades,” said members of visiting delegation of European parliament while addressing a joint press conference with Azad Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan here.

Leader of Labor Party in the EU Parliament Richard Corbett asserted that the European Union and the European Parliament would continue to use its influence and play its role for a peaceful solution of Kashmir issue. “The Friends of Kashmir Group will further project Kashmir issue in the EU parliament, and will also take it up before the European nations,” he said adding that solution of Kashmir was the responsibility of not a single country but the whole international community.

Member EU Parliament Ms Irina Von Weise said that the visit would prove helpful in acquainting with the plight of migrants from occupied Kashmir. “As vice-chair committee on human rights, I would continue to highlight this issue in the European parliament,” she added.

Substitute member Subcommittee on Human Rights in the European Parliament, Shaffaq Mohammed asserted that we had no enmity toward the Indian people, but we are concerned over human rights situation in occupied Kashmir. “The EU states while establishing trade and economic relations with India, must keep in view the human rights situation of Kashmir,” he said adding that the model under which UK and Ireland had successful resolved their disputes through negotiations, can be applied to Jammu and Kashmir issue in South Asia also.

Councilor Nazia Rehman stressed that systematic human rights violations by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir must cease, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir should be granted their fundamental right of self-determination.

Earlier introducing the delegation, AJK President Sardar Masood Khan said that Kashmir was an international issue which cannot be bracketed and restricted between two countries.

He said that the people of Pakistan and Kashmir believe that the issue can be resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means. “The people of Pakistan and Kashmir have publicly welcomed the mediation offer of US President Donald Trump, and they fully support it,” he said and pointed out that this has happened for the first that a sitting US president has offered mediation on Kashmir.

He said that we will have to take its advantage, and gear up our diplomatic moves to ensure a just and durable solution to the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of Kashmiri people.

The AJK president advised India to adopt a constructive approach, and cooperate with Pakistan and the United States to find a solution to Kashmir issue through diplomatic means. He appreciated the Chinese government for supporting President Trump’s mediation offer.

Sardar Masood Khan also thanked the European Parliament for holding in the subcommittee on human rights on 19 February 2019, a hearing on the report of UN High Commissioner on human rights on the situation in occupied Kashmir.