EFSAS discusses Terrorism, CPEC and Jammu & Kashmir with MEPs in Brussels
12-07-2018
EFSAS held a meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels, with Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Mr. Geoffrey Van Orden - Chair of the Delegation for Relations with India, Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on Terrorism and Member of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence. During the meeting EFSAS discussed the growing radicalization and terrorism in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the region of Jammu & Kashmir, and emphasised how the civil population is the ultimate victim and eventually carries the heavy weight of ongoing conflicts. Mr. Van Orden closely assessed the role of India and Pakistan in finding a solution to the Jammu & Kashmir issue while arguing that often maintaining security comes with using methods which can be perceived as harsh, yet in combatting terrorism are unfortunately necessary. The nexus between violent extremism in South Asia and the West, with a specific focus on the United Kingdom, was further discussed and Mr. Van Orden affirmed that the European Union’s security and defence mechanisms still require scope for improvement, particularly with regard to South Asia and its subsequent positive economic and political development.
Ms. Yoana Barakova, Mr. Junaid Qureshi and Mr. Dušan Vejinović (all EFSAS) with Mr. Geoffrey Van Orden, Member of the European Parliament in Brussels
EFSAS also met with Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Mr. Tomáš Zdechovský, Member of the Delegation for Relations with the People's Republic of China and Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Mr. Zdechovský argued that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor is politically and economically destabilising the entire region of South Asia and that the infrastructural megaproject unlawfully harvests the resources of the territories, through which it passes, leaving the indigenous people in a position of severe deprivation. He highlighted how China has left many African countries in a debt-trap situation and turned them into Chinese colonies, which is very likely to happen in Pakistan as well, as the recent examples of Sri Lanka and Nepal also suggest. Mr. Zdechovský shared EFSAS’ view that the CPEC is in contravention of International Law as it passes through the disputed territory of Gilgit Baltistan (part of Jammu & Kashmir) and extended all his support to assist EFSAS in highlighting this issue in the power corridors of Europe.
Ms. Yoana Barakova, Mr. Junaid Qureshi and Mr. Dušan Vejinović (all EFSAS) with Mr. Tomáš Zdechovský, Member of the European Parliament in Brussels
EFSAS invited Mr. Tomáš Zdechovský to present his views during their upcoming events, which deliberate upon the future of the China Pakistan Corridor and particularly its repercussions for the socio-economic and political stability of the region of South Asia.
