London (TDI): British lawmakers have renewed calls for the UK to take a firmer stance on the long-running Kashmir dispute, urging the government to support the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and to raise human rights concerns with India.
The discussion, held in Westminster Hall under the title “Kashmir: Self-determination”, brought together MPs from several parties who highlighted the anxiety within the UK’s sizeable British-Kashmiri community. Labour MP Imran Hussain, who led the session, said the situation could not be dismissed as a distant foreign issue.
For people in IIOJK, this is about families separated, homes demolished, voices being silenced and basic rights being denied, he said. The MP pointed to India’s 2019 decision to scrap Articles 370 and 35A, moves that stripped the region of its semi-autonomous status, saying the aftermath had seen mass detentions, curfews, communication shutdowns and efforts to alter the area’s demographic makeup.
He also reminded the parliament that a 1948 UN resolution had promised a vote to determine Kashmir’s future, noting that the pledge remains unfulfilled more than seven decades later.
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Several MPs echoed Hussain’s concerns. Jim Shannon drew attention to reports of arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings and other serious abuses in the region, according to Dawn.
Gareth Snell stressed that the British-Kashmiri community continues to feel overlooked politically, while Labour MP Andy McDonald raised alarms about restrictions on journalists, suppression of dissent, and the detention of political leaders.
Responding on behalf of the government, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Hamish Falconer, reiterated the UK’s long-standing position that the dispute is for India and Pakistan to resolve directly, with input from the Kashmiri people. He said the UK regularly raises human rights issues with both governments and welcomed any moves that ease restrictions or allow the release of detained political figures.
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Falconer acknowledged the strong concerns of the British-Kashmiri community but stopped short of promising any new British initiative or support for a UN-monitored plebiscite. He argued that renewed dialogue between India and Pakistan in 2025 and beyond was essential, noting the tensions that build when communication between the two countries breaks down.
The debate is the latest in a series of parliamentary discussions on Kashmir, including similar sessions in March 2025 and January 2021. The continued interest reflects ongoing worries among MPs and diaspora groups about human rights, political representation, and the future of the disputed Himalayan region.
