LONDON, 26 Nov 2013:

The London Branch of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) has denounced the plans by Indian Army to build a big wall on the Line of Control (LoC) (similar to  one Israeli's have built dividing the Palestinians) and demanded immediate end to such ‘vicious plan’ designed to permanently divide the Jammu Kashmir state.

The condemnation came at a meeting held in London in which the latest developments on Kashmir issue were thoroughly discussed.

The participants termed Jammu Kashmir as an indivisible entity and pledged all out efforts would be made to protect the political as well as the geographical integrity of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. They said that the proposed ‘Wall’ on the Line of Control (LoC) would meet the similar fate that the Berlin Wall had met in Germany.

The participants also urged the United Nations for necessary action on the matter as Jammu Kashmir is still as disputed in its agenda. This is a final wake up call for the entire Kashmiri Nation, weather living in Kashmir or abroad, to come out, unite and protest vociferously against the proposal of India’s Apartheid Wall.

The meeting was presided over by London Branch President Mahmood Faiz and addressed by Councillor Mahmood Hussain, Tariq Sharif, Javaid Rashid & Sanawar Hussain.

Press Secretary,

JKLF London Branch

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JKLF delegation participated in the Seminar titled “Denial of Self-Determination & Human Rights to Small Nations in Commonwealth States” held in House of Lords organised by “Nations Without States”. The purpose of the seminar was to highlight the plight of oppressed nations within Commonwealth & was attended by many representatives of organisations struggling for their right of self-determination.  

JKLF delegation included London Branch President Mahmood Faiz, Senior Vice President of JKLF UK Zone Councillor Mahmood Hussain and JKLF UK Zone Executive Committee Member Tariq Sharif.

While speaking on the Kashmir issue at this occasion, JKLF London Branch President Mahmood Faiz who represents Kashmir on “Nations Without States” board said that Jammu Kashmir State has been kept under occupation since last over 6 decades despite many promises by the founders of both India and Pakistan. Jammu Kashmir was a sovereign state at the time British Raj ended in sub-continent but was shortly occupied by the neighbouring countries. Mahmood Faiz said that situation in Indian Occupied part of Jammu Kashmir is very grim where Indian Army is using all methods to suppress the poplar voice of freedom. He said that rape and arson are being used by the Indian armed forces as a method of oppression. Mahmmod Faiz said that India Army has absolute power under draconian Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which means they are not accountable for any heinous crime they commit.  He further said that “Nations Without States” is a great platform to speak & march together in one united voice until we are free.

Jagdish Singh, founding member of “Nations Without States” during his speech praised the role of JKLF and said that it is the only indigenous movement in the divided Jammu State struggle for the reunification and complete independence.

The seminar was also addressed by Dr Jawad Malla, Graham Williamsonm, Yogalingam Sockalingam, Bernard Dube, Mehrab Baloch, Hakeem Wadhela, Lakhu Luhana, Doris Jones & Robert Tamanji.

Press Secretary,

JKLF London Branch

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Press Release

(London - 31 October 2013)

JKLF London Branch held a Reception for Mr Tanveer Chaudhry, (Senior JKLF Leader from Finland) who was on a brief visit to United Kingdom. During the Meeting with JKLF colleagues, Discussion took place on many organizational Matters and current situation in Jammu Kashmir were thoroughly discussed.

Speaking on this occasion, Tanveer Chaudhry said that JKLF will continue its peaceful struggle for re-unification and complete independence of Jammu Kashmir state. He said that unity of JKLF had a major impact on the current movement. He congratulated all zones of JKLF for conducting the landmark successful Zonal elections in all parts of divided Jammu Kashmir and abroad.

Senior Vice President of JKLF in Britain, Cllr. Mahmood Hussain said, that JKLF the pioneers of the popular people’s movement, has the grass root support of the common people behind them, throughout the Jammu Kashmir  state, as well as the Kashmiri expatriates living throughout the world. JKLF will continue its efforts for a peaceful solution to this long outstanding issue, according to the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiri people. He said that for peace and security to prevail in the region, issue of Kashmir must be resolved.

The leaders and functionaries of JKLF who attended the meeting included Cllr Mahmood Hussain, Mahmood Faiz, Javaid Rashid, Tariq Sharif, Sanawar Hussain, Jabar Sarwar, Tassalat Hussain & others.

Press Secretary,

JKLF London Branch

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Over a dozen Kashmiri parties, associations and NGOs based in the UK have pledged to work together and make a joint efforts for the liberation of their motherland and to drop minor differences in order to forge unity of thought and action amongst various Kashmiri organisations actively involved in the freedom campaign. This was declared in an all party consultation conference hosted by the UK & Europe chapter of the pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). The conference, believed to be a first of its kind, was held in the Northern town of Oldham, where only party heads were invited by JKLF to deliberate proposals for Kashmiri unity. Twenty six heads of various Kashmiri pro-independence and pro-Pakistan parties working in the UK took part in a 5 hour debate, which was held in-camera under Chatham House rule. Apart from these party heads who belong to Azad Kashmir, several Kashmiri dignitaries and observers were present but no members of the public or press were invited to the event.  

At the end of the conference a 3 point joint declaration was agreed upon to ensure that all Kashmiri organisation would continue to meet together in the future to form a strategic alliance which would work towards increasing international political and diplomatic pressure on India and Pakistan to honour their pledges for self-determination and to resolve the long-standing Kashmir issue peacefully.

The first point on the declaration reads that “we (the organisations) recognise and affirm that the Kashmiri Diaspora in the UK has an important role and stake in the liberation movement and we pledge to perform a meaningful role more effectively”. In order to accomplish this and to adapt a meaningful strategy for the Kashmiri campaign, all parties agreed for the JKLF to reconvene  another meeting where member parties from the existing two alliances (Rabata Committee and Independence Alliance) and 4 prominent parties which are currently not part of any alliance would be invited to jointly work on modalities for a single united forum and that prior to this JKLF would engage with these two alliances for possible consultation. The 3^rd point in the declaration states that  the conference rejects India Pakistan bilateral parley on Kashmir without legitimate Kashmiri representation as equal stakeholders for their title to self-determination and demand that the governments of India an Pakistan should take immediate measures to discharge their historical obligation towards self-determination for the people of all parts of the former state of Jammu-Kashmir.

The conference opened with a presentation from JKLF president, Mr Azmat A Khan, who invited delegates for a debate and introspection of the current situation and dilemmas faced by the Kashmiri movement and raised several questions on the role of Kashmiri parties in the UK with suggestions for improvement areas in order to effect a meaningful international campaign to support the independence movement from UK and Europe.

Apart from the host JKLF, the parties and organisation represented at the conference included JK Peoples National Party chairman prof Nazir Nazish, JK Liberation Conference president Mahmood, Kashmiri, AJK Muslim Conference president Bashir Ratvi, Kashmir Freedom Movement president Ghulam Hussain, Kashmir Self-determination Movement president Raja Najabat Hussain, Kashmir Liberation Organisation president Najib Afsar,  JK National Awami Party president Zahid Lone, UK PNP president Usman Kiyani, Tehrik Kashmir president Mohammed Ghalib and Kashmir United

Front chairman Afzal Tahir.  Other organisational heads included the secretary general of the prominent Kashmiri NGO with UN consultative status known as JK Council for Human rights, Dr Nazir Gilani, head of the Kashmir National Identity Campaign Dalat Ali, president of the British Kashmir Foundation Shazad Iqbal and head of the Kashmiri Writers Forum Shafqat Raja. Other Kashmiri writers,  intellectuals and thinkers who participated in the conference as observers included, Tahir Bostan advocate, professor Nazir Tabasam, Shams Rehman, Dr Aftab Hussain, Zafar Tanweer, Jabbar Butt, Prof Liaqat Ali Khan, Naib Hussain Mughal, Sardar Abdul Rehman and Aslam Mirza, Abdul Khaliq, Haji Abdul Hameed and Ghulam Nabi Mir. Former chairman of the Parliamentary Kashmir group and peer, Lord Nazir Ahmed was also present at the conference.

The conference was chaired by prominent JKLF leader Prof Zafar Khan of Luton. JKLF UK and Europe general secretary Tehsind Gilani welcomed the delegates. Other JKLF leaders who spoke at the conference included its national organiser Sabir Gul, Saghir Ahmed, Laiq Ali, Jay Iqbal,  Ishfaq Ahmed, Amant Nazir and Shabir Kashmir. The conference arrangements were made by JKLF’s Oldham, Manchester and Bradford branches.

In a statement issued after the conference, JKLF president, Azmat A Khan said that he was encouraged by the support and commitment shown by many Kashmir leaders and that he was looking forward to work with many different organisation with different ideas to strengthen the international campaign for Kashmiri independence. He said that all delegates were very keen to look for new ways to move forward and to put together resources and manpower in a more productive way to internationalise the issue of Kashmir in the world media and in the international forum instead of repeatedly highlighting the issue within the Kashmiri community.    

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London -Press Release (20 August 2013)

In an attempts to forge unity amongst various Kashmiri groups and organisations actively involved in the Kashmir campaign in the UK from both sides of Jammu-Kashmir, an all party consultation conference is being organised at the end of this month by the UK & Europe chapter of the pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

Arrangements are being finalised to host the conference on 28th August in northern town of Oldham, Greater Manchester, and JKLF general secretary, Tehsin Gilani, has written to nearly 2 dozen heads of UK based Kashmiri groups for their proposals.

JKLF president, Mr Azmat A Khan, said in a statement that he is hopeful that Kashmiri activists in the United Kingdom will sign up to JKLF proposals for meaningful international campaign in support of the independence movement after a thorough debate and introspection of the current situation and dilemmas faced by the Kashmiri movement.

“This will be the first of its kind conference where party heads are being invited to debate JKLF proposals to put forward their own ideas of how to move forward and to put together resources and manpower to internationalise the issue of Kashmir in the world media and in the international forum instead of repeatedly highlighting the issue within the Kashmiri community and the diaspora”, He added.  

JKLF president is to present a written paper to open the dialogue with all parties at the conference and hopes to build consensus and forge real unity amongst Kashmiri political, human rights and community groups who are interested in playing an effective and fruitful role in the near future.

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