Pakistan: Treatment of members of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) by the military, government or other political groups following the October 1999 coup; whether members of the UKPNP have been arrested or detained by government authorities recently or in March 1997 due to protests in Islamabad, Kohala and Rara; the mandate of the UKPNP's publication "Kashmir Bulletin" and its editor and funders; whether Sardar Ishtiaq Hussain Khan is secretary general of the UKPNP; the address of the UKPNP Central Secretariat (2005 - July 2007)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 5 September 2007 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | PAK102573.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Pakistan: Treatment of members of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) by the military, government or other political groups following the October 1999 coup; whether members of the UKPNP have been arrested or detained by government authorities recently or in March 1997 due to protests in Islamabad, Kohala and Rara; the mandate of the UKPNP's publication "Kashmir Bulletin" and its editor and funders; whether Sardar Ishtiaq Hussain Khan is secretary general of the UKPNP; the address of the UKPNP Central Secretariat (2005 - July 2007), 5 September 2007, PAK102573.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/47d6546fc.html [accessed 4 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on the above-mentioned subjects was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. According to Business Recorder, a Pakistani financial daily newspaper, Sardar Ishtiaq Hussain is the vice chairman of the All Parties National Alliance (APNA) and Waqar Kazmi is the acting chairman of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) (14 Dec. 2005). Other news sources refer to Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri as the leader (Baluchistan Times 18 June 2007) or chairman (Hindustan Times 24 May 2006; IPS 23 Jan. 2006) of the UKPNP.
The Hindustan Times reports that Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri was exiled from Pakistan in 1999 and that he has since settled in Switzerland (24 May 2006). Similarly, the Inter Press Service (IPS) reports that Kashmiri lives in Switzerland as a refugee and that he was "arrested and tortured by Pakistani forces" on two occasions (23 Jan. 2006).
In the list of participants of a two-day conference entitled "Jammu and Kashmir – Alternative Futures," organized by the Institute for Conflict Management (ICM) that took place on the 18th and 19th of May 2006, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri is named as the secretary general of the International Kashmir Alliance and Sardar Ishtiaq Hussain is named as the general secretary of the UKPNP (18-19 May 2006). According to its website, the ICM is "a non-profit, non-governmental think tank which focuses on conflict studies, terrorism, insurgency, sub-conventional warfare, and areas of public policy relating to these issues" (n.d.). The ICM also states that Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri is based in Switzerland (17 May 2006).
Information regarding the treatment of members of the UKPNP by the military, government or other political groups following the October 1999 coup and information on whether members of the UKPNP have been arrested or detained by government authorities recently or in March 1997 due to protests in Islamabad, Kohala and Rara could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Information on the mandate of the UKPNP's publication "Kashmir Bulletin," its editor and funders and the address of the UKPNP's Central Secretariat could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Baluchistan Times. 18 June 2007. "Struggle for Autonomous Kashmir Will Continue: Kashmiri." (Factiva)
Business Recorder [Karachi]. 14 December 2005. "Kashmiris Ask UN to Take Over Relief Operation." (Factiva)
Hindustan Times [New Delhi]. 24 May 2006. "Exiled Kashmiri Seeks to Return to Pakistan Kashmir to Perform Brother's Last Rites." (Factiva)
Institute for Conflict Management (ICM). 18-19 May 2006. Jammu and Kashmir – Alternative Futures. "Participants at the Two Day Conference 'Jammu and Kashmir – Alternative Futures'."
_____. 17 May 2006. Jammu and Kashmir – Alternative Futures. "Press Release."
_____. N.d. "About Us."
Inter Press Service (IPS). 23 January 2006. Sanjay Suri. "Rights: Opposition Growing to Pakistan Rule in Kashmir." (Factiva)
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: The Kashmiri-Canadian Council, the International Kashmir Alliance, the Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights and the Institute for Conflict Management did not provide information within the time constraints of this Response.
Publications: The Europa World Year Book 2007, Political Handbook of the World 2007, Political Parties of the World 2005.
Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), The Asia Foundation, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Dawn [Karachi], European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Freedom House, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Kashmir Alliance, Jammuandkashmir.com, Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights, Jane's Intelligence Review, Kashmir Herald, Kashmir Information Network, The Kashmir Monitor [Srinagar], Kashmir News, Kashmir News Daily, Kashmir Observer Online, Kashmir Terrorism Bulletin, The Kashmir Times, Kashmiri-Canadian Council, Kashmirlive.com, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Kingdom Border and Immigration Agency, United States Department of State, World News Connection.
