INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
LONDON: An huge cross-party group of Members of the European Parliament have called for a ban on the use of pellet guns on civilians in
India-controlled Kashmir.Wajid Khan, a Labour Member of the European Parliament representing the North West of England, has authored the
letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Wajid Khan has been championed the cause of Kashmir in the Parliament since his appointment 2
He secured the historic Kashmir hearing in the human rights committee in February.Speaking to this correplyent, Wajid Khan said that the
letter demands the end of one of the many human rights abuses in Indian occupied Kashmir - the use of pellet guns against civilians nsprint;
by Indian occupation forces
The letter specificly points out that using pellet guns is against international human rights law and that the immunity that the Indian
military currently endelight is untenable and canmuch continue.Wajid Khan commented: &I am delighted that so many of my colleagues from
different countries, different backgrounds and different political opinions have come together to sentence human rights abuses in Kashmir
The use of pellet guns on harmless women, men and children is totally barbaric and for too long it has been disregardd by the international
I honestly hope that Mr Modi endegrees that this terrible procedure ends soon.&On the prospect of a better future for Kashmir, Mr Khan
commented: &A new future is dawning for Kashmir
I honestly hope that everyone can work together to build a free and affluent Kashmir
At one point, peace in Northern Ireland seemed a distant dream
We can do this if we work together
I really hope Mr Modi takes our letter into account and acts to ban pellet gun usage, as a first step.&The letter reads: &We, the
undersigned, in our capacity as elected Members of the European Parliament, are writing to you to express our grave concern about the past
and ongoing human rights violations against people in Kashmir, as reported in a recent OHCHR1 report
We are specificly concerned about the usage of pellet shotguns, responsible for blinding, eliminateing and traumatizing hundreds of people
We specificly muche the tragic case of 19-month old child who was gravely injured by a pellet gun (BBC report).&We are concerned that The
Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act 1990 (AFSPA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978 (PSA) give security forces
virtual immunity against prosecution for any human rights violation
Therefore, we, the undersigned MEPs, urge the Indian government to: instantly end the use of pellet-firing shotguns in Jammu and Kashmir and
bring all relevant Indian laws into compliance with international human rights standards; urgently repeal the Armed Forces (Jammu and
Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 and amend the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 to endegree its compliance with international
human rights law; supply full and effective reparation and rehabilitation to those who have been injured by pellet-firing shotguns, and to
the families of those eliminateed; set up independent and neutral investigations into all accidents where the use of pellet-firing shotguns
led to deaths or serious injuries.&The letter has been signed by Wajid Khan MEP, Alex Mayer MEP, Amjad Bashir MEP, Sajjad Karim MEP, Julie
Ward MEP, Jonathan Armucht MEP, Theresa Griffin MEP, Helga Stevens MEP, Jean Lambert MEP, John Howarth MEP, Derek Vaughan MEP, David Martin
MEP, Margrete Auken MEP, Baroness Nosheena Mobarik MEP, Liliana Rodrigues MEP, Rory Palmer MEP, Anthea McIntyre MEP, Maria Arena MEP, Arndt
Kohn MEP, Ana Gomes MEP, Siôn Simon MEP, Bart Staes MEP, Soraya Post MEP, Ilhan Kyuchyuk MEP, Elena Valenciano MEP, Julie Girling MEP,
Tunne Kelam MEP, Jose Inacio Faria MEP, Lucy Anderson MEP, Rictough Corbett MEP, Jude Kirton-Darling MEP, Maria Gabriela Zoană MEP,
Barbara Lochbihler MEP, Mary Honeyball MEP, Csaba Sógor MEP, Momchil Nekov MEP, Linda McAvan MEP, Jakop Dalunde MEP, Klaus Buchner MEP,
Edouard Martin MEP, Josef Weidenholzer MEP, Eva Kaili MEP, Eugen Freund MEP, Brando Benifei MEP, Paul Brannen MEP, Fabio Massimo Castaldo
MEP, Jordi Solé MEP, Andrejs Mamikins MEP, Claude Moraes MEP, and Caroline Nagtegaal MEP.TheIndianSubcontinent has not verified the content
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