On 8th of August, I was invited to an important conferencetaking place in Parliament hosted by Carla Lockhart MP and the Asian Human Rights Forum led by Arif Aajakia.
I am sure almost all of you will already know of Pakistan as a terrorist state. It is also a nation that abuses its own citizens with utmost cruelty. The conference organised by people from Pakistan showed the extent of their desperation that their country, in the hands of dictatorssince 1947,is a failed state.
Speakers at the conference were:
- Ms Carla Lockhart MP (DUP)
- Mr David Vance, British Journalist
- Mr Mehran Balouch, Human Rights defender and Balochistan representative
- Dr Shabir Chaudhry, Author, Kashmiri leader from Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir
- Dr Lakhumal Luhana, General Secretary, World Sindh Congress
- Mr Roshaan Khattak, Pakhtoon representative and a PhD student in London
Arif moderating the conference made an explosive opening observation. He said Pakistan was createdartificiallyin the name of a religion. Ironically that decision was made in this very building, the House of Parliament. He went on to say, it’s now time that Britain and USA, the biggest supporters of Pakistan’s terrorist Punjabi Army, should guarantee the restoration of fundamental human rights in Pakistan.
When it comes to basic human rights in Pakistan, it’s important to first understand that not only are all the minority communities being abused, but whole nations and people have been occupied by Pakistan illegally since 1947.
Mehran Balouch Marri (Representative of Balochistan at the UNHRC and EU),highlighted the miserable conditionsinPakistan occupied Balochistan where the Pakistani Punjabi army is not only looting and plundering resources of Balochistan, but are also committing the genocide of the Baloch people. He reminded everyone, Balochistan was never part of Pakistan. It has been occupied and seeks self-determination.
Dr Shabir Chaudhry spoke about the historical perspectives of the State of Jammu & Kashmir during the British rule and the current situation of human rights in Pakistan Occupied Jammu, Kashmir, Gilgit and Balochistan.
Dr Lakhumal Luhana presented the case for Sindh. He highlighted the loot and plunder of Sindh’s wealth and natural resourcesby the Pakistani dictatorship. He also highlighted the miserable situation for the religious minorities of Sindh because of systematic radicalisation of provincein the name of religion.
The Pakhtoon nationalistRoshaan Khattakgave detailed accounts of the abuses of Pakhtoons. He confirmed that dozens of terrorist outfits created by the Pakistani army are operating freely.
Arif in his concluding remarks hoped that Britain and other international authorities will pay attention to the miseries inflicted on Sindhis, Baloch and Pakhtoons whose lands are occupied by Pakistan’s Punjabi Army.
In her concluding statement, Carla Lockhart MP declared that providing basic human rights are fundamental to any society and we, the British Parliament, should always stand for human rights for all in every part of the world. She said that she is studying the human rights violations in Pakistan presented in the bookletissued by Asian Human Rights Forum titled, ‘Gross Human Rights Violations in Pakistan’.
On Pakistan’s religious minorities, the report states: ‘Members of religious minority communities, including Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis, and others, face discrimination, persecution, and violence in Pakistan. Blasphemy laws are misused to target religious minorities, and there have been instances of mob violence and attacks on religious minority communities. Forced conversion of minor girls of religious minority communities is order of the day. Thousands of minority girls, every year, are kidnapped, raped, forcefully converted to Islam and forcibly married to their rapists’.
I took the opportunity to advise Carla that in her capacity as a Member of Parliament, that she should:
Move an Early Day Motion (EDM) that highlights these gross human rights violations in Pakistan.
- That she should write to the concerned minister seeking detailed explanation on how the British Government is ensuring that as part of the any aid package, that Pakistan takes proactive and verifiable action to eradicates these human rights abuses.
I would add:
She should also ask the Prime Minister to declare Balochistan and Sindh as independent nations for self-determination.
- And to ask the Prime Minister to declare that Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is integral to India consideringitslegal accession to India on 26 October 1947. After all, it was signed off on behalf of Her Majesty by the late Lord Mountbatten. i.e. It’s already a declared legal position of Britain that the whole of Jammu and Kashmir is integral to India!
I must commend Arif and his team, most of Pakistani origin, who have shown great courage in raising these very important issues. I know that those who expose the truth about Pakistan are often subjugated with threats of violencenot just to themselves, but also to their families. Their steadfastness in this battle to save their nation now needs the active support of western nations.
