WYCOMBE MP Steve Baker has been hailed by a senior councillor for securing a “landmark” debate in the House of Commons on human rights in Kashmir.

Wycombe District Councillor Mahboob Hussain said High Wycombe should be proud its MP has “taken the lead” on the volatile humanitarian situation in Kashmir.

Mr Baker secured September 15's historic debate to ‘give a voice to the thousands of British Kashmiri constituents who are entitled to representation in their parliament’.

MPs discussed human rights issues and the atrocities carried out on the Asian Sub Continent during the three hour debate, watched by a packed public gallery.

Mr Baker told the BFP: “It was a huge honour to open and close the debate and to give a voice to my Kashmiri constituents, who have been extremely supportive.

“It was a good debate and the issues received a thorough airing but the British Government is in something of a cleft stick.

“On the one hand, our view on the Kashmir issue is not welcome in India. On the other, British Kashmiris are entitled to representation on this situation.

“The Government has made it quite clear that there must be space for the respective governments to discuss these sensitive issues. My view is that all people have a right to peaceful self-determination at the ballot box.

“I believe the formula offered by the original UN resolution – of demilitarisation, appropriate policing and a referendum – is about right but only the parties to the dispute can take this forward.

“We have thrown a rock into the pool and hopefully the ripples will spark further conversations.”

Kashmir-born Cllr Hussain said the Wycombe Kashmiri community was “over the moon” and lauded Mr Baker for “achieving the impossible”.

He said: “I feel proud it has got this far, it has never happened before.

“Steve has listened to the concerns of the 20,000 Kashmiri people living here. It gives Wycombe something to be proud about, how we’ve taken the lead on a global scale.

“People are over the moon, they cannot believe what we’ve achieved, people are just so proud as they’ve been campaigning for this for years. It is a big landmark.”

The duo appeared on Awaaz Radio High Wycombe last Saturday, where they were presented with a shield and praised by callers for their hard work.