All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference UK President Mahmood Riaz, has expressed the hope that nearly a dozen British citizens of Pakistani and Kashmiri origin were likely to become the members of the British Parliament in the next parliamentary polls. In an interview here, he added that there would be more than 25 parliamentary candidates from Pakistani and Kashmiri community in the run in next UK elections and it was hoped that half of them would return to the Parliament.
He, however, pointed out that success of any candidate from the ethnic minority did not solely depend on his own community but he had to seek votes from all other communities, including the local majority, as well.
Riaz said the Kashmiri and Pakistani community had started actively involving itself in the local (British) politics, which was a good omen.
"Currently, there are over 800 councillors in different UK towns from our community, who are taking active part in British politics. Apart from this, there are nearly 20 towns where the sitting or former mayors come from our community," he claimed.
Riaz, while replying a question, justified the existence of the branches of AJK political parties in UK on the grounds that those provided the expatriates a platform to raise the Kashmiri issue.
"Being solely in British politics debars us to talk vigorously on Kashmir as the local political parties do not allow their members to discuss regional conflicts," he said.
The Muslim Conference leader said the expatriates did not have any complaint with the British government, but they have some reservations with the Pakistani government regarding certain issues.
"Resolution of all the problems we face rests with the Pakistan government," he said, adding that overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris were not being attracted to visit Pakistan. "Our institutions need to change their attitudes," he said.
Riaz took stock of the "VIP" culture at the airports whereby relatives of any official are exempted from the queues.
"This gives birth to a feeling of disgust among the expatriates," he said.
He also criticised the alleged slow issuance of NICOP cards by the National Database and Registration Authority.
"The NICOP card has lost attraction because it takes nearly 10 months to obtain it," he said, asking the interior minister to do something in this regard.
Riaz was also critical of Pakistan International Airline (PIA), saying that the passengers preferring the national carrier out of their love for Pakistan were made to suffer.
"Even today, people with confirmed reservations have to go back because the PIA people do overbooking whose consequences are borne by the passengers," he said.
He also demanded that Kashmiri and Pakistani educated youth should be provided jobs in the Pakistan High Commission in UK on merit like the British High Commission provided jobs to Pakistani youth here.
He warned that if the problems of the expatriates persisted, new generation would hardly like to visit the land of their elders.
Replying to other questions he said, the options floated by President Pervez Musharraf must be discussed with open hearts and minds, because he believed that the President had floated them to bring India at the negotiating table.
"Whenever there is anything new, it surely highlights Kashmir across the world much to the chagrin of the Indian government," he said.
He said no ruler of Pakistan could betray the Kashmiris and only that solution of Kashmir would be acceptable, which the Kashmiris would decide by themselves with mutual consultation.
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