Monday 20th January 2020

(4 years, 11 months ago)

Petitions
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The petition of residents of Walthamstow,
Declares that the dispute in Kashmir should be resolved peacefully.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the UK Government to use their international standing to encourage India to engage in a comprehensive and sustained dialogue process with its neighbour Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute, and urge the international community to play its role in securing a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Stella Creasy, Official Report, 5 November 2019; Vol. 667, c. 750.]
[P002545]
Observations from Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:
We urge both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and improve channels of communication. We encourage them to engage in dialogue and find lasting diplomatic solutions to the situation, but we recognise that the pace and scope of any dialogue is for India and Pakistan to determine.
We will continue to remain in close contact with the Governments of India and Pakistan regarding the situation in Kashmir.
The long-standing position of the United Kingdom is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution on Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people; it is not for the United Kingdom to prescribe a solution or act as a mediator.