To resonate with the significance of October 27th in the history of Kashmir, a delegation of Non Resident Kashmiris met with the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee on October 27th, 2016. Congressman Ed Royce of California chairs the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The Committee considers legislation that impacts the diplomatic community, which includes the Department of State, the Agency for International Development (USAID), the Peace Corps, the United Nations, and the enforcement of the Arms Export Control Act.A statement from Non Resident Kashmiri’s to news agency CNS said that the delegation briefed the representative(s) of the Committee about the importance of focusing on the sixty nine year old dispute between the two nuclear powers - India & Pakistan, over the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. They emphasized the relevance of the Kashmir issue to the United States & rest of the world, as Kashmir has often been dubbed as the nuclear flashpoint due to an ongoing disagreement between the two nuclear powers. Some experts even believe that Kashmir has the potential tendency to escalate further tensions, hostilities or even battles between the two nations.
The Committee was reminded about Resolution 47 that was adopted by the United Nations Security Council on April 21, 1948, which has given the people of Kashmir the right of self-determination. The United States was the primary sponsor of this resolution.In addition, the delegation also highlighted the current situation in Jammu & Kashmir, vis-a-vis the use of Pellet guns, the number of people blinded, injured, maimed, arrested and detained. The delegation also presented the Committee with a letter signed by hundreds of people, including Kashmiri Americans presently living in Los Angeles, San Dimas, San Francisco, Chicago and other U.S. cities. The signatures were collected as part of the campaign to highlight and bring awareness towards the ongoing conflict in Kashmir.At the meeting, the delegation was assured that the House Foreign Affairs Committee would inform all the members of the Committee about the current situation, as Kashmir dispute needs World attention. Kashmir dispute is not just a political, governmental or administrative issue, but due to the fact that it has a potential of becoming the next nuclear flash point. (CNS)