BRADFORD'S British-Pakistani community commemorated Kashmir Solidarity Day on Wednesday, as people came together to highlight the ongoing human rights abuses taking place in the disputed territory.

The event took place at the Kings Gate business park, off Canal Road, on 5 February, and was part of an annual day that is marked by many Kashmiri communities worldwide.

Kashmir is a region in south Asia which is claimed by both Pakistan and India and has long been a source of conflict between the two nations.

Britain ruled most of the Indian subcontinent from the 17th to the 20th century, but when they left the region it was divided into two separate countries, Pakistan and India, in the violent and bloody partition of 1947.

Since partition, with Kashmir's position unclear, Pakistan and India have fought two wars over it, while many Kashmiris have also expressed a desire for independence.

Today, the majority of Kashmir is under Indian control, while a smaller part of the region belongs to Pakistan and some parts governed by China.

In August last year, the Indian government revoked Article 370 - a long-standing agreement which gave Kashmir semi-autonomous status - which led to civil unrest, media blackouts, the cutting off of telephone networks and the banning of public gatherings.

Kashmir has been widely reported as being the most militarised zone in the world, and violence and human rights abuses in the region have escalated in the past six months.

The majority of British-Pakistanis in Bradford trace their roots back to Azad Kashmir, the south-western part of the region, which is under Pakistani control.

Sabiya Khan, Chair of British Muslim Women Forum, said, "Members of the British Muslim Women Forum wished to highlight the ongoing human rights abuses faced by men, women and children in Kashmir, especially since the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A, by holding this day of solidarity in Bradford.

"The British Muslim Women Forum is working with Kashmiri diaspora communities to continue raising awareness about the current situation facing people in the occupied areas."