Welsh-Kashmiri MS Dr Altaf Hussain urges peace in Kashmir in a statement saying:
This last day, I’m so saddened over what’s happened in Kashmir.
I’m thinking of victims who’ve lost lives: we know ‘surgical strikes’ never are, we are already seeing global press photographs showing destroyed buildings which should horrify us all. Wisdom must prevail, nobody wants war. Not least civilians, people who will, like everyone else, need normal conditions. Kashmir needs sustainable solutions over short-sighted aggressive attacks.
It’s important parties involved in this trauma de-escalate tensions through intra-governmental dialogue preserving peace as a higher order objective, achieving an environment of mutual respect that these more moderate voices prevail over echoes of cruel conflict.
Kashmiri people have suffered so much, historically. Lt. Robert Thorpe observed how “The British had sold the Kashmir into slavery and they were suffering untold miseries at the hands”, carried out under the Treaty of Amritsar – but blame doesn’t achieve any practical progress.
The removal of special status, invoked in Article 370 during 2019 showed similar disrespect to those living locally. It’s important political progress can determine self-governance – not through threats, but by consent. In dark times, people naturally gravitate to their leaders. It’s imperative that they come together to achieve a lasting, and harmonious resolution.
Like many others, I pray for peace.
