London/Islamabad, Could Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s ex-wife Reham Khan’s son be the reason why Britain’s Labour party, and especially its chief Jeremy Corbyn, are so openly siding with Pakistan over Kashmir?
Reham’s son Sahir, 22, works for the Labour Party and Corbyn. He has told a television channel that he works for the Labour Shadow Cabinet and helps write the Labour Party’s manifesto. He is Reham’s son from her first husband.
On September 28, Corbyn called up Imran Khan and “listened to his concerns about the situation in Kashmir, including the ongoing curfew”.
“The UN has a vital role in ensuring dialogue between India and Pakistan. Any political resolution must uphold the human rights of the Kashmiri people,” he tweeted, with a video of him raising the issue in the UK parliament.
Imran Khan, in turn, briefed Corbyn “about the gravity of the situation” and thanked him “for the position he has taken” on Kashmir.
India’s relations with the Labour party have greatly deteriorated over the Kashmir issue, with its pro-Pakistani members continuously raking it up in the British Parliament and other fora.
On September 25, the Labour party at its annual conference passed a resolution on Kashmir, alleging massive human rights violations there, “enforced disappearance of civilians, state-endorsed sexual violence of women by armed forces”.
It also proposed that the party ask Corbyn or ensure someone from the Labour party is represented to attend the UNHRC to demand “restoration of basic human rights” in Kashmir, and that Corbyn also meet the Indian High Commissioner in London to ensure mediation.
It also said that Kashmir should be accepted as “a disputed territory and the people of Kashmir should be given the right of self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions”.
The Labour party also declared that it would stand with the Kashmiri people “fighting against occupation”.
Uzma Rasool, Leyton and Wanstead CLP delegate, passed the emergency motion on Kashmir which was discussed at the Labour Party Annual Conference.
Labour MP Naz Shah announced support for the emergency motion on Kashmir at the party level.
India had slammed the Labour Party move as “uninformed and unfounded” and said it had no intention to engage with the party or its representatives on the issue.
The Indian High Commission in London also cancelled a dinner with the Labour Friends of India.
Days after the August 5 revocation of special status for Kashmir, Corbyn had tweeted, saying the situation was “deeply disturbing” and called for resolving the issue through UN resolutions.