Human Rights in Kashmir
Debate between Imran Hussain and David Williams(3 weeks, 6 days ago)
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Imran Hussain
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I shall come to his point shortly.
For over 1 million British Kashmiris, more than 50,000 of whom demonstrated on the streets of London over the weekend, this is not a distant foreign policy issue. These are their parents, brothers and sisters—their families—and they have been worried sick, staring at silent phones waiting for a call that does not come and hoping that people they love are safe.
Imran Hussain
I will give way, but I ask hon. Members to be extremely brief in their interventions because I have a substantial contribution to make.
David Williams
I thank my hon. Friend for his work as chair of the APPG on Kashmir. In Stoke-on-Trent North, I too have been contacted by residents about people who live on both sides of the line of control, and they are seriously worried. We have had reports of shortages of food, medical supplies and baby milk. Does my hon. Friend agree that the UK Government must do all they can to open all possible humanitarian routes?
Imran Hussain
I will take the intervention from my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Dr Gardner), who may make a similar point.