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Tuesday March 19, 2024

US House Subcommittee to discuss Kashmir after UNGA session: Congressman Brad Sherman

Brad Sherman said the discussion will be on the human rights issues around the world and it is important for the United States to discussion what is going on in Kashmir.

By Web Desk
September 15, 2019

US subcommittee to meet after UNGA session on Kashmir, says Congressman Brad Sherman

CALIFORNIA: Congressman Brad Sherman, the Chairman of the US House Subcommittee on Asia, says the panel intends to hold the hearing on the issue of Indian occupied Kashmir after the 74th session of United Nations General Assembly.

"We will have the hearings after the UNGA meeting and after the Congress reconvenes, only by waiting  till when  we can get high-level participation from high-level state department officials, including the chief state department official for South Asia,” the lawmaker said while talking to Geo News on Saturday.

In a statement issued on September 3, the Congressman had said “the hearing will also focus on the Kashmir Valley, where many political activists have been arrested and daily life, the internet, and telephone communications have been interrupted. The hearing will also review the humanitarian situation in Kashmir. Are people able to get food, medical care, etc?”

Answering a question as to when the panel was expected to hold the meeting, he told Geo News, “I wish we could be doing the hearings now but in order to get the participation not only of human rights NGOs, but getting the State Department as well and in that case, we have to wait till October.

Asked whether he thinks India should be held answerable for the curfew it has imposed in the valley, with people not having any access to medicines, etc, Sherman said, “India should do everything possible to protect its people and especially those who are vulnerable and have medical conditions.”

Brad Sherman said the discussion will be on the human rights issues around the world and it is  important for the United States to have discussion on what is going on in Kashmir.

To a question whether the hearing will also address the issue of revoking Article 370, the congressman said, more of the focus will be on the immediate things that are happening on the ground.

“There is no way to avoid a discussion on Article 370 which started the whole process,” Sherman said, “But our focus is on the human rights and I can hope that by the time we have the hearings the situation is ameliorated but if it doesn’t it will be worse.”

“The only thing worse than going 42 days without your medicine is going 60 days without your medicine,” he added.