Kashmir’s plight

sir – General David Petraeus and Lord Gadhia’s article (“India and Pakistan must look beyond Kashmir”, August 17) overlooks the human tragedy unfolding in Indian-occupied Kashmir. This is an internationally recognised dispute yet UN Security Council resolutions calling for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination under a Un-supervised plebiscite remain unimplemented.

India is the so-called largest democracy in the world, yet its behaviour in Kashmir has been widely reported by the international media, and documented by the UN’S High Commissioner for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others, and its belligerence endangers the security of the entire region.

As a member of the UN, Pakistan had been seeking the international community’s intervention in the region to prevent an escalation of tension. It is Pakistan’s declared policy to extend diplomatic, political and moral support to the Kashmiris in their legitimate right of selfdetermination. Their plight deserves the attention of not only Pakistan but the entire civilised world. Muneer Ahmad

First Secretary, Pakistan High Commission

London SW1