Kasmir on the agenda as Rowen Meets President of Pakistan

Rochdale MP Paul Rowen was granted an audience with the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari to discuss his work on Kashmir.

Since being elected to office in 2005, Mr Rowen has campaigned both in and out of Parliament for an end to the territorial dispute between Pakistan and India over Kashmir and to let the people of Kashmir decide where their own future lies.

Mr Rowen was also a guest speaker at the Liberal Democrat Friends of Kashmir event at the Lib Dem Conference in Bournemouth. He was joined by PHC HE Wajid Hassan (British High Commissioner for Pakistan) Qassim Afzal (Lib Dem PPC fo Manchester Gorton) and John Hemming MP.

The Liberal Democrat Friends of Kashmir was founded in 2006 by Paul Rowen MP and Qassim Afzal to promote and debate the way forward for Kasmir.

Rochdale MP Paul Rowen said: "It was an absolute pleasure to meet President Zardari. Kashmir remains the biggest land dispute issue in the world and I've had many people across Rochdale contact me personally about it. From speaking to the President it was clear that he is committed to finding a peaceful and workable solution to the Kashmir problem which was encouraging to hear.

Mr Rowen added: "Currently, in Kashmir, there are a worryingly high number of human rights violations being discovered. Incidents of rape, torture and mass graves have come to light in the past few months and we as Lib Dems have been urging the Government act on this information. As a country and a former commonwealth partner, we should be using our influence to ensure Pakistan and India remain at peace and resolve their dispute over the ownership of Kashmir. Pakistan, in particular, needs international support in order to consolidate its fragile democracy. What I would like to see is both India and Pakistan using Northern Ireland as an example of moving forward. The borders need to be opened up to allow more trade so that Kashmir can prosper. Ultimately it is for the people of Kashmir to decide where their future lies."