Over 50 UK MPs Raise Human Rights Concerns In PoK, Call For Immediate De-Escalation
Over 50 UK MPs Raise Human Rights Concerns In PoK, Call For Immediate De-Escalation Reported By, Last Updated: July 31, 2026, 15:49 IST UK MPs
Over 50 UK MPs Raise Human Rights Concerns In PoK, Call For Immediate De-Escalation Reported By, Last Updated: July 31, 2026, 15:49 IST UK MPs have written to Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, urging the government to use diplomatic channels to secure an immediate de-escalation and peaceful dialogue. Rapid Read Commuters ride past security personnel as they patrol a street ahead of a protest by the JAAC in Muzaffarabad, PoK. (File pic: AFP) More than 50 UK parliamentarians have written to Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband over the escalating unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, raising concerns about reports of live fire, civilian casualties and an increasingly heavy-handed response to demonstrations. The letter, dated July 30, was led by Imran Hussain, Labour MP for Bradford East and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir, and signed by lawmakers from across political parties. The parliamentarians sought clarity on the UK government’s assessment of the humanitarian situation in the region and the steps it was taking to protect British nationals and residents with family members there.
MPs Flag Reports Of Live Fire And Casualties The letter referred to reports that peaceful protesters had been fired upon, resulting in deaths and injuries. It said allegations involving live fire and the use of force against demonstrators raised serious concerns about the protection of the rights to peaceful protest and assembly. The MPs warned that the developments risked further escalating tensions, undermining public confidence and destabilising an already sensitive situation. They also highlighted the anxiety among British Kashmiris whose relatives live in the region and who have struggled to establish contact amid the continuing unrest. UK Asked To Press Pakistan For Restraint The parliamentarians asked whether the British government had made, or intended to make, representations to the governments of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over the immediate lifting of the blockade and the restoration of communications. They also sought details of the diplomatic steps being taken to encourage restraint and an immediate de-escalation. The letter urged the UK government to press all parties to avoid confrontation and address outstanding issues through peaceful dialogue.
Call For Talks With Joint Awami Action Committee The MPs asked about the UK government’s engagement to encourage the immediate resumption of negotiations between the authorities and representatives of the Joint Awami Action Committee. They said freedom of expression, peaceful political participation and access to communication were fundamental principles that contributed to stability, public confidence and the protection of human rights. The parliamentarians stressed that a durable resolution should be pursued through dialogue rather than confrontation, with human rights remaining central to the process. Concern Over Safety Of British Nationals The letter also sought details of measures being taken to ensure that British nationals in the region, and British citizens with relatives there, could access consular assistance and remain in contact with their families. The MPs asked the government to clarify what monitoring mechanisms were in place and whether it was supporting efforts to prevent any further escalation. According to the letter, the APPG chair had met a UK minister a day earlier and received assurances that humanitarian concerns would be taken seriously and raised at the highest level.
The BriefWire