Hameed Shaheen
ISLAMABAD: To keep its manifesto on Kashmir moving an eight-nation European delegation including France, Spain, Belgium and Sweden is to visit Pakistan/Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the last week of the current month, Kashmir Watch learnt on Wednesday here.
The dispute of Jammu and Kashmir is alive on the agenda of the powerful European industrial bloc, the 27-nation European Union since 2003 with an All-Party EU Group on Kashmir in its parliament headed by active EP member Mr James Elles from Britain.
Prior to Pakistan/AJK visit the delegation visiting occupied Kashmir from November 22, 2009 for three days to have a close feel of the ground situation there. It will meet occupied Kashmir leaders exploring their inner recesses on Kashmir dispute.
In its AJK visit the delegation will meet Azad Kashmiri leaders including AJK president, prime minister, Hurriyet chapter of AJK/Pakistan to have their input.
The delegation is expected to call on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
It may be recalled that European Union outspokenly supports the Kashmiris right to self-determination and demands immediate termination of human rights violations. India faces towering criticism at the international level for human rights violations carried out in occupied Kashmir by its occupying forces.
Understandably in August next year the All-Party EU group on Kashmir will hold a global dialogue on Kashmir in Brussels to be participated by Kashmiris leaders from AJK, IHK, Kashmiri Diaspora, besides Pakistani and Indian leaders. In August 2006 the then president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf had opened a 3-day global dialogue on Kashmir in EU premises.
Posted on 18 Nov 2009 by
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