Pak continues with its narrative; Friends of Kashmir holds event with MEP

In yet another attempt by Pakistan to peddle its narrative on the Kashmir issue, the Friends of Kashmir group in the European Parliament (EP) recently held an event here to discuss the situation in the valley with the Members of the EP.

As noted in an article by investigative journalist Julia Micevska in European Parliament's monthly magazine EP today, the event turned out to be little more than a propaganda exercise unmindful of its role in sponsoring terrorism in Jammu and kashmir and its own human rights violations in PoK.

"The event did not address the Indian government's fight against terrorism, except to state that 'Pakistan is in no way supporting terrorism'", the article read. "This statement contradicts the findings of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights which describe how since "the late 1980s, a variety of armed groups has been actively operating in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir,"

Julia said that there has been documented evidence of these groups committing a wide range of human rights abuses, including kidnappings, killings of civilians and sexual violence in Kashmir.

"While in the 1990s there were reportedly over a dozen armed groups operating in Indian-Administered Kashmir, in recent years four major armed groups are believed to be operational in this region: Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and Harakat Ul-Mujahidin. All four are believed to be based in PoK."

The writer noted that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is steadily returning to normalcy, while the propaganda against India is proving to be exaggerated and unfounded.

"Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh remain free from violence or abuse. The heavy security presence in the valley is slowly being reduced, but remains in place to maintain law and order, and provide a sense of security to the people against the threats of terrorism that have been made by Pakistan," she said.

She said that it is unfortunate on part of Pakistan to carry out the malicious propaganda campaign on the situation in Kashmir, and called the involvement of a small group of UK MEPs who and propagating the spread of information designed to inflame the current situation in Kashmir as "reckless and irresponsible".

"The Pakistani leadership and the Pakistani army have made open calls for radicalisation and Jihad, which the EU should be condemning as they jeopardise peace in the region. Thus, the involvement of a small group of UK MEPs inside the European Parliament, supporting the Pakistani ideology, and propagating the spread of information designed to inflame the current situation in Kashmir, is reckless and irresponsible, she concluded.