Kashmir: Self-determination
Debate between Roger Gale and Imran Hussain(2 weeks ago)
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Sir Roger Gale (in the Chair)
Order. Let me put down the marker now: interventions are interventions, not speeches.
Imran Hussain
I thank my hon. Friend for that timely intervention. He is right, and I will come on to the substance of the point he makes shortly.
Kashmir remains one of the world’s most heavily militarised zones and longest unresolved international disputes. Today’s problems have their origins in the unfinished business of partition in 1947, and it is important to start there—a moment in history when Britain played a direct and undeniable role. In 1948, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 47, which mandated a free and fair referendum to allow the sons and daughters of Kashmir to determine their own future and their own destiny.
Imran Hussain
I am not sure I am able to give way. Am I able to, Sir Roger?
Imran Hussain
I am grateful to the Minister. The point that I made, and make again, is that he did not address the four very simple questions that I put to him.
In closing, I again thank all the hon. Members who have spoken passionately and have again shown the Kashmiri community and others that they have a voice in this place. We may not get the response from the Government, but there is an early-day motion that now has the support of over 40 Members from different parties. Later today I will also be giving the Prime Minister a letter signed by over 50 parliamentarians from across the parties. The voice of Kashmiris will never be silenced as long as I am in this place.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved,
That this House has considered Government support for self-determination in Kashmir.