Pak groups running 'vicious' anti-India campaign: British MP

The MP said that the Pakistanis present a 'propagandist' picture on Kashmir

Some Pakistani groups in Britain are "successfully" running a vicious campaign against India with regard to Kashmir and the "lies" should be countered by providing facts to British lawmakers, a visiting MP from the UK said here.

Robert John Blackman, MP from Harrow East in the UK, asserted that "Kashmir is integral part of India and liberation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is the issue which has to be solved," echoing India's position.

He said the Pakistani groups present a "propagandist" picture on Kashmir and the British lawmakers feel "helpless" in contesting that as India does not provide the facts to present the real picture.

"Some Pakistani groups in Britain have successfully launched a vicious campaign against India as far as Kashmir is concerned. The Pakistani diaspora has been reflecting a propagandist picture on Kashmir in UK," he said during an interaction with Kashmiri Pandits last night.

"The government of India should take a call on this. They should provide the MPs in UK with facts and figures to contest the false claims and lies spread by Pakistan on Kashmir," he said.

The MP, better known as Bob Blackman who is on a three-day visit to the state, asked the displaced Kashmiri Pandit diaspora to come out and fight the vicious campaign of Pakistan on Kashmir in UK and the West.

"We try to get facts and figures on Kashmir from India, but it does not usually come to us. We feel helpless to uncover the Pakistan propaganda," he added. Asserting that "Kashmir is integral part of India and liberation of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is the issue which has to be solved", Blackman said, "the accession of Kashmir with India was final because the 'Instrument of Accession' was signed by none less than the then ruler of Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir."

Blackman, who along with some NGOs of Jammu and Kashmir is trying to present the Kashmir issue in proper perspective before the British Parliament, said the UK MPs have started the process of using diplomatic means to present the real picture of the issuel.

He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in building better relations with Britain and said his country stands shoulder to shoulder with India in facing the challenge of terrorism.

Talking about the "problem of radicalization", he said it is not confined to Britain or India but was aglobal issue.

"Radicalization among younger people is a worldwide trend and it is high-time for the world community to come together and solve this problem," he said.