TWO Bradford district MPs spoke in Parliament on Wednesday, calling for “freedom and democracy” in the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, and Robbie Moore, Conservative MP for Keighley, both raised concerns over human rights abuses in the region, which is split between India and Pakistan.

Ms Shah - who described herself as “a proud daughter of Kashmir” in her speech, owing to her roots in the region - also criticised the British Government for its arms sales to India, which she argued “contribute to shedding the blood of the Kashmiri people.”

Mr Moore added that “properties have been destroyed and innocent people are losing their lives”, while describing some of the stories reported from Kashmir as “harrowing”.

Kashmiris have “been shut off from the entire world” due to media blackouts, Ms Shah said, while the region remains the most militarised zone in the world, with “Kashmiri women targeted for rape” and many people killed - amounting to "ethnic cleansing", she claimed.

“Without UN rapporteurs allowed into the region, and with every report out of the region censored, how can anyone assure this House that a genocide is not taking place?”, Ms Shah asked.

Ms Shah also said that, from 2015 to 2020, Britain sold “more than half a billion pounds’ worth” of arms to India, adding, “without reassurances from the UN, we cannot be sure that we are not contributing to a genocide.

"Minister, act now while there is still time, or history will not be so forgiving”, she concluded.

Mr Moore added that Kashmir has been under “heavy lockdown” since August 2019, after the Indian Government revoked Article 370, which gave the region semi-autonomous status.

“Thousands have been arrested and face harassment and imprisonment without due cause", he said, adding that the situation is, "quite rightly", causing "a huge amount of concern for many of my constituents across Keighley."

He acknowledged that British politicians were unable to decide on policy in other countries, but could still “use our influence to ensure that this terrible situation is investigated", adding: “The UK’s fundamental values are freedom and democracy. Now is the time to hear the allegations of human rights abuses from both sides, but particularly from the Indian side.

“India and Pakistan are long-standing friends of our country. That is strengthened by the large Indian and Pakistani communities here. But a solution to the situation in Kashmir must be sought - after all, both countries are nuclear powers - and must be sought at speed.”