India Lodges Strong Protest With UK Over Planned Kashmir Conference To Be Addressed By Pakistani Minister In London

India on Thursday (31 January 2019) lodged a strong protest with the British government for allowing a conference on Kashmir inside the British Parliament Complex in London which will also witness an address by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, reports The New Indian Express.

External Affairs Minister Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar stated that the Indian government expected that the issues it had raised would be addressed by the United Kingdom (UK). Kumar remarked that it was very clear that the aim of the conference was to undermine territorial sovereignty and integrity.

"We have taken it up with the UK very strongly. We hope that they will understand our objections to the proposed conference and take appropriate action," Kumar said.

The minister expressed his hope that being a country with friendly ties to India, the UK would tackle the concerns which have been raised about the conference.

"There is no doubt that it (the conference) exposes Pakistan's duplicity when they talk about peace (with India) on one hand and at the same time working with forces which are fomenting anti-India sentiments," Kumar added.

It is also possible that the British government may not associate or engage with Qureshi at the conference on an official level.