New Delhi
21 March 2007
The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs has
passed the report, titled "Kashmir: Present situation and future prospects", with an
overwhelming majority. The revised compromise amendments to the report, which had
Baronness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne as rapporteur, have been voted on and
adopted by the European Parliament.
Baroness Nicholson's report noted that Pakistan was yet to take steps towards
democracy in Gilgit and Baltistan and also recognised that "continuing calls for a
plebiscite on the final status of Jammu and Kashmir are not considered realistic at
present". It urged Pakistan to revisit its concepts of the fundamental rights of freedom of
expression and other freedoms in Gilgit and Baltistan.
The report also observed that Pakistan ceded trans-Karakoram tract in 1970 to China. It
recognised that "Kashmir" currently stood divided into four parts with one part in China
and two parts in Gilgit and Baltistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir besides Jammu and
Kashmir.
Prior to the voting, Baroness Nicholson told this newspaper that about 30 revised
compromise amendments had been suggested. In the end, 28 of those amenments were
voted upon and adopted by the members. The final copy of the report would be tabled in
the Preliminary Session of the European Union Parliament.
Baroness Nicholson, whose report sparked protests by Pakistan, maintained that the
evidence she collected for the report was irrefutable because it came from the people
themselves. Her report observed that meaningful demilitarisation could only take place
alongside genuine action to neutralise the threat of infiltration of Jammu and Kashmir by
militant outfits operating out of Pakistan.
The report criticised Pakistan for the continued absence of representation of the people
of Gilgit and Baltistan in its National Assembly and for governing Pakistan-Occupied
Kashmir through the ministry in Islamabad.
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