United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) Delegation Briefing at the European Parliament

The UKPNP delegation comprised on Mr. Jamil Maqsood, President, Foreign Affairs Committee of UKPNP,

Mr. Sajid Hussain, Member Central Committee of UKPNP, Mr. Aqeel Ahmad, President UKPNP Belgium, Mr. Waleed Sadiq, Leader UKPNP Belgium, Mr. Riaz Hanif, leader and Member UKPNP Belgium, Mr. Raja Mudessar, Leader UKPNP Belgium, Mr. Sayab Basharat, Leader UKPNP Belgium.

During the meeting, the delegation emphasized the need for a follow-up on the European Parliament’s resolutions concerning Jammu and Kashmir. They urged the European Parliament to establish and send a fact finding mission to all regions of Jammu and Kashmir so that representatives can interact directly with the local population, understand their sentiments, and respond to their legitimate demands.

The delegation stressed that such a fact finding mission should also assess whether the recommendations and resolutions of the European Parliament have been implemented or neglected by the respective governing authorities. The entire State of Jammu and Kashmir including Jammu, Kashmir,Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir constitutes one historical and political entity, recognized as a disputed territory whose final status remains to be determined in accordance with the aspirations of its people and relevant international commitments. Neither India nor Pakistan holds the right to unilaterally alter or administer any part of the former Princely State.

India entered the State on 27 October 1947 through an instrument of accession for the limited purpose of safeguarding the life, liberty, and property of its people and to facilitate the reunification of the entire State. However, on 5 August 2019, India unilaterally abrogated Articles 370 and 35A of its Constitution and dismembered the historical State into two Union Territories, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh , thereby undermining the special constitutional status and autonomy that had been guaranteed to the region.

On the other hand, Pakistan violated the Standstill Agreement on 22 October 1947 by launching an armed invasion into the territory of Jammu and Kashmir, setting in motion a process of division, bloodshed, and destruction that continues to this day. In Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan has abrogated the State Subject Rule, effectively disenfranchising the indigenous population. Pakistan must respect the fundamental human rights and political aspirations of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in accordance with international human rights standards.

Ladakh has witnessed growing protests demanding the restoration of statehood and special constitutional guarantees. Our delegation strongly condemns the arrest of environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, viewing it as a grave violation of human rights, and calls for his honourable and unconditional release.

The UKPNP acknowledges and supports the recent resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly calling for the restoration of special status and statehood. Restoring the special constitutional status of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh is essential to address the legitimate grievances, identity, and aspirations of the people of the region. India must fully restore the pre August 5, 2019 constitutional status of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir, including the reinstatement of Articles 370 and 35A, and re establish the region’s statehood and autonomy as originally guaranteed.

India must end divisive and communal policies, uphold secular values, and ensure that all state subjects live in peace, dignity, and mutual respect.

Our delegation further urges the European Union and the international community to take note of the 2018 and 2019 reports and recommendations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to encourage both India and Pakistan to implement these recommendations within their respective administered regions.

Above all, there must be a peaceful and democratic unification of the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir, ensuring the restoration of the political, civil, and human rights of all its people, including those in Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh, Kashmir, Jammu, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

They reaffirmed that no government or country has the right to unilaterally annex or further divide the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, and that the will and aspirations of its people must be respected.

In addition to the briefing, UKPNP organised demonstrations outside the European Parliament to draw attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in the region, particularly focusing on the ongoing protests by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee in Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir.

The delegation also presented a memorandum to Honourable MEP Barbara Bonte, urging her and the European Parliament to take cognisance of the current situation in all parts of Jammu and Kashmir and to support efforts toward justice, democracy, and peace in the region.

The UKPNP delegation reminded that they belong to the historical state of Jammu and Kashmir, which was established on 16 March 1846 through the Treaty of Amritsar with the British East India Company. The state endured for 101 years, but after the partition of British India in 1947, it was tragically divided, leaving its people suffering across the Line of Control.

Since 1947, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have faced restrictions on freedom of speech, movement, assembly, and expression, with their fundamental rights curtailed and violated. The region has been governed by five powerful lent officers from Islamabad, severely limiting local autonomy and democratic representation.

The delegation further stated that approximately 2.5 million people from Jammu and Kashmir have been forced to migrate due to the ongoing conflict, political oppression, and social instability. Members of UKPNP and other nationalist groups continue to face victimisation and persecution because of their ideology.

They highlighted that UKPNP Chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri was abducted twice by Pakistan’s secret agencies,first in 1994 and again in 1998 , and has been living in forced exile since 1999. The delegation expressed deep concern that political activists and human rights defenders remain victims of Pakistan’s security establishment.

UKPNP called for the dismantling of terrorist and extremist infrastructure in so called Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and urged the Government of Pakistan to establish a genuinely representative local authority in accordance with the United Nations resolutions. They also demanded the abolition of draconian and discriminatory provisions enshrined in Act 74, particularly the clause stating that “no person or political party in Azad Jammu and Kashmir shall be permitted to take part or propagate against in activities prejudicial or detrimental to the ideology of the state’s accession to Pakistan.”

The Honourable MEP Barbara Bonte expressed her full cooperation and support to the UKPNP delegation and acknowledged the importance of their concerns regarding human rights and democratic freedoms in the region.

The delegation thanked the Honourable Member of the European Parliament for providing them with the opportunity to hold this important briefing inside the European Parliament and for her continued commitment to peace, justice, and human rights in Jammu and Kashmir.