European Kashmiri leader calls for reforming Kashmir committee

WASHINGTON: A prominent Kashmir advocate in Europe has urged Pakistan to reform the Kashmir committee to highlight this humanitarian issue in western capitals.

Ali Shahnawaz Khan, Executive Director of Kashmir Scandinavian Council and former Adviser to the Norway prime minister, also informed that the Norwegian Parliament would hold a debate on Kashmir issue within a couple of months and the move will put pressure on Indian military which is committing atrocities in Indian Held Kashmir.

Khan, who was in Washington to attend National Prayer Breakfast hosted by President Donald Trump, said Norway and Scandinavian countries always supported the just right of the Kashmiris.

He said the debate in Norwegian Parliament would be held to call for peaceful resolution of the issue. He also met a number of Republican and Democrat congressmen including Tim Walberg and Robert Aderholt, Chris Smith and discus Kashmir issue.

Khan said that the chairperson of Kashmir committee should be an eloquent person with the knowledge of modern communication and sophisticated diplomacy. “If the Chairman of Kashmir Committee is having issues getting visa for some countries how he can highlight the issue on international forums,” he said.

He said modern democratic world paid great attention to elected representatives so Pakistan should utilise its parliamentary forum to help Kashmiri people who are living in great distress under Indian rule.

Khan also welcomed the house arrest of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed saying the move would eventually help the Kashmir cause by inviting international support for the oppressed people. Kashmir advocate said Pakistan needed to neutralise elements like Hafiz Saeed to garner international support for a just cause.

“In today’s world you have to change the narrative and adapt better communication means to obtain global attention,” Khan said. He said the former prime minister of Norway and head of Oslo Peace Centre Kjell Magne Pondewyk would visit Pakistan this year and discuss issues including Kashmir with Pakistan leadership.

Khan was travelling with former Norwegian prime minister when the latter was stopped at Washington airport by US immigration authorities for one-hour and questioned over his 2014 visit to Iran.