Liz Lynne Questions President Musharaff on key issues

11.13.47am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th Sep 2006

Liz Lynne MEP with Pakistan's President Musharraf

During a visit by President Musharaff of Pakistan to the European Parliament, Liz Lynne MEP, a long time campaigner on Kashmir and Pakistan, took the opportunity to question him about the conflict in Kashmir and how to resolve it.

In a question to the President, Liz asked him whether he was committed to involving the people of Kashmir in talks about their future and commenting on his reply said;

"I welcome President Musharaff's acknowledgement that the people of Kashmir must be fully involved in any decision about their future and I hope that more progress can be made. I welcome India/Pakistan negotiations, but the only way that we can achieve a just solution is by involving the Kashmir people."

Liz Lynne also took the opportunity to plead for clemency for Mirza Hussein, a UK citizen who faces the death penalty in Pakistan.

"I was pleased by President Musharaff's commitment to reviewing the case of Mirza Hussein, though an answer on the death penalty generally was not forthcoming and there are many other cases where it still applies"

"I believe that the fact that President Musharaff had the opportunity to visit the EP will help foster EU-Pakistan relations."

And with her anti discrimination hat on, Liz also pressed President Musharaff on what he was doing to bring elderly and disabled people in Pakistan into the mainstream.

Liz Lynne is president of the Liberal Democrat friends of Kashmir and is cofounder of the European Parliament's Friends of Pakistan.