Oral Answers to Questions

Jason McCartney Excerpts

Tuesday 18th October 2016 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

1. What recent assessment he has made of the political and security situation in Kashmir.

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)]

12. What recent diplomatic steps the Government have taken to support resolution of the conflict in Kashmir.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Alok Sharma)]

I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Jason McCartney) cares deeply about Kashmir and has visited the region. I am concerned by recent events in Kashmir. I have in recent weeks met representatives from the Governments of both India and Pakistan and urged calm and restraint on both sides. I will continue to do so.

[Jason McCartney]

Has the Minister seen the reports of hundreds of Kashmiri protesters suffering eye injuries because of the indiscriminate use of pellet guns, and will he please speak out against it?

[Alok Sharma]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. I am of course concerned by those reports. He may also know that the use of pellet guns in Kashmir has come under review by the Government of India. The results of that review have not yet been shared publicly, but it has been indicated that alternative methods of crowd control will be introduced.