Leeds: A United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) delegation met Labour British Member of Parliament Fabian Hamilton in Leeds and discussed the human rights issues people in the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) region, United Kingdom on August 4, UKPNP said in a press release.

Hamilton currently undertakes the role of Shadow Minister (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) in the UK.

Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, the central spokesperson of UKPNP, took to Twitter and said that the UKPNP delegation met Fabian Hamilton and discussed the human rights issues in the PoK region.

The delegation comprised Former Labor Councillor Ghulam Hussain, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Freedom Movement, Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, Central Spokesperson of UKPNP; Sardar Amjad Yousaf, President of UKPNP Europe Zone; General Secretary Asif Abbas, Raja Sarfraz, General Secretary of UKPNP United Kingdom; Sardar Tika Khan Tahir, Secretary of Information UK Zone; and Naveed Khan, President of UKPNP Leeds.

According to the release, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, the Chairman of UKNKP, expressed heartfelt appreciation to Fabian Hamilton for graciously hosting the conference at the House of Commons in London in June this year. During the meeting, the delegation presented a comprehensive report on various pressing human rights issues in PoK and thanked the MP for providing a platform to share their concerns.

The delegation highlighted their deep concern over the activities of banned organizations in the region, especially the disappearance of more than 22 teenage boys from District Bagh, PoK. Despite the extremist groups' claims of sending the boys for armed training, their whereabouts remain unknown, causing anguish and distress among their families.

Additionally, the delegates apprised Hamilton of the ongoing protests against shortages of flour and essential foods, load shedding, and hefty surcharges in Electricity Bills in the region.

They shed light on the draconian AJK 1974 act, restricting pro-independence candidates from participating in elections, and the Jammu Kashmir state subject rule of 1927, prohibiting non-Kashmiris from settling or buying property in PoK. They emphasized that Pakistan's violation of these rules by settling its citizens in disputed areas further alters the demographic balance, the release stated.

The delegation also brought to the MP's attention the concerning occupation of forestry land and tourist resorts by military and security personnel under the guise of defence. Such land grabbing is in direct violation of United Nations resolutions on Kashmir, Jammu Kashmir state subject rule of 1937, and international laws, the release added.

In response, the delegation urged the international community, including concerned states, to address these pressing issues with utmost urgency. Hamilton further asserted that upholding the rule of law and ensuring freedom of expression and movement are paramount for achieving lasting peace and stability.

The UKPNP delegates expressed their sincere gratitude to the British MP, acknowledging his unwavering support for the deprived and marginalized people in the region. They expressed hope for collaborative efforts in the future to find viable solutions and alleviate the hardships faced by the affected communities, the release further stated.