British MP accuses India of ignoring alleged rights abuses in Valley
ISLAMABAD: British parliamentarian Debbie Abrahams, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Kashmir Group (APPKG) in the British House of Commons, accused New Delhi on Wednesday of not responding to the world’s concern on alleged human rights abuses in the valley.
At a joint press conference with Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Islamabad, Abrahams welcomed Pakistan’s stance of having a third UN report issued on human rights violations along both sides of the Line of Control (LOC), adding that it showed the openness of the approach taken by Islamabad.
India denied her entry when she arrived in New Delhi on Monday, on what she said was a private visit after revoking her e-visa for engaging in activities against India’s national interest.
A delegation of the APPKG, a group of parliamentarians from the United Kingdom led by Abrahams, was scheduled to visit both sides of the LOC . “When we were planning this trip, we wanted to make sure that the delegation visited both India and Jammu & Kashmir,” said Abrahams, adding: “But I have had no responses to my requests for a delegation to go to Jammu & Kashmir. I hope India will take the opportunity to reflect on Pakistan’s approach to addressing the issues that it has faced in different parts of the country and how they are responding to the report from the UN …We are an independent group, we are not anti-india or pro-pakistan, we are pro-human rights.” Abrahams said: “We had a very full and frank discussion with the foreign minister. I am very grateful to the Pakistani government for facilitating this independent trip of the group from the UK parliament.
Indian officials were not immediately available for a comment on Abrahams’ remarks.