US House Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss Kashmir issue

WASHINGTON: In another diplomatic win for Pakistan, the US House Foreign Relations Committee said it will soon hear the issue of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) in its upcoming meeting.

According to Geo News, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia Brad Sherman announced on Friday that the subcommittee will soon hold a hearing on the deteriorating situation in IoK which has been under a clampdown since August 5.

"The hearing will focus on the humanitarian situation in Kashmir, where many political activists have been arrested and daily life, the internet and telephone communications have been interrupted," Congressman Sherman said. 

"Are people able to get food, medical care etc," he asked.

“I had an opportunity to meet with Americans from Kashmir Valley just a week ago in the San Fernando Valley, along with my colleague Congressman Andre Carson, we heard stories of difficulties encountered by my constituents and others and the fears they have for their loved ones,” Sherman said.

“I look forward to learning more about human rights in Kashmir,” Sherman added.

On August 16, members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met for the first time in over five decades to discuss the critical situation in Indian occupied Kashmir, urging parties to the dispute to refrain from taking any unilateral action.

The UNSC met behind closed doors at the request of China and Pakistan to discuss the Indian government's recent decision to revoke the special status of occupied Kashmir.

The council had taken up the issue of the critical situation in occupied Kashmir after more than 50 years since it was last discussed on the platform, effectively rejecting India's stance that occupied Kashmir was an internal issue and not an internationally recognised dispute.