A violent crackdown on civil liberties and human rights that is taking place ‘half a world away’ was denounced in a motion passed at a Burnley Council meeting.

Motions calling on the UK Government to use its influence to bring an end to the recent repression and bloodshed in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir have been submitted to a number of local authorities with Burnley now joining towns across the UK condemning the ongoing abuses.

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Independent councillor Sehrish Lone, who is from Kashmir, proposed the motion saying: “This motion is not against Pakistan, it’s not against the people of Pakistan, and its not against the Pakistan army – this motion is for human rights, for civilian protection, and for peace.”

A violent crackdown on civil liberties and human rights that is taking place in Kashmir was denounced in a motion passed at a Burnley Council meeting.

placeholder image — A violent crackdown on civil liberties and human rights that is taking place in Kashmir was denounced in a motion passed at a Burnley Council meeting.

But the motion proved to be divisive for many of the Burnley’s newer councillors, with the 12-strong Reform UK group and singular Restore Britain representatives sharply criticising the motion about a region of the world that is 4,000 miles away.

Reform UK’s Councillor Gavin Theaker said: “Burnley Council exists to serve the borough of Burnley, not involve itself in international disputes. “Our residents expect us to fix local issues, improve public services, spend taxpayer money responsibly, and hold the current council to account.

“They did not elect us to debate foreign policy. This position asks Burnley Council to take a position on one of the world’s most complex and disputed conflicts. In my opinion, that is not our responsibility and it is not within our powers to provide resolution or influence.”

However, a majority of other councillors came out in support for the motion, with Coun. Beki Hughes (Green) arguing: “The reason why these types of motions get brought to the council is because there are people who live in this town and are living in Burnley, paying their taxes in Burnley, but then they still have family members being affected by this overseas.

“All this motion is actually meant to do is literally say that we just as a council don’t agree with violence in general and we agree with human rights.”

The province of Kashmir has long been a focal point for sectarian violence and bloody state repression and some of those people fleeing terror and arbitrary imprisonment came to Burnley and not only made the town their home, but formed a key part of its future, Council Leader Afrasiab Anwar said.

He added: “I think it’s important to recognise that, of the Pakistani diaspora community that lives here in this town, 80 per cent of them come from the Kashmir region and so they have links, they have connections.

“I look at my father and his generation, they were people who came to this town, worked in the mills, and built this town, rebuilt this town. They paid, made their contribution, and to this day we have people who make a massive contribution and they have links to those communities in Kashmir.”

The text of the motion decried recent moves by Pakistan’s government to restrict communications between Kashmiris and the outside world, something Coun. Lone said had been particularly difficult in her own family.

While Reform UK, Restore Britain, and the Conservative groups on the council voted down the motion, it was carried with the support of Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, and Burnley Independent Group councillors.