PEOPLE from Pakistani backgrounds in Keighley this week called for clarity on the issues surrounding the Kashmir crisis.

Sangat Centre manager Khadim Hussain said he was concerned that the interests of Kashmir people might be lost in talks between Pakistan and India's leaders, Tony Blair and US President George Bush.

He stressed the Kashmir territory had been the subject of conflict between India and Pakistan since the countries became independent from Britain in 1947.

The situation had flared up and cross-border attacks accelerated after a suicide bomb attack on the Indian parliament in December, for which an Islamic extremist group has been blamed.

Pakistan president General Pervaiz Musharraf has been called on to make a speech pledging to break up extremist Islamic groups in his country.

But Mr Hussain said: "Muslims outright condemn terrorism, but India is cashing in on this term.

"It wasn't used pre-September 11. We can't and will not accept that people fighting for their freedom is terrorism.

"There does need to be a message to young people here that the UK is our homeland and we're under obligation to serve this country.

"Any mention of bombing sites here is out of the question. Our first priority is this country."

Mohammed Saleem, chairman of the Ittehaad Community Association, believes that only international aid can help to resolve the conflict.

He said: "A dialogue between Pakistan and India will not be able to resolve this issue because so far both countries have fought wars for the past half century and not resolved the fate of the Kashmiri people.

"I believe the British and United Nations have the intellectual and political resources to bring a solution to the dispute.

"But the people of Kashmir should be asked what they want and not what India and Pakistan wants.

"British people from Pakistan, Kashmir and India are affected by these tensions. Many have close relatives and families living near the borders of both countries."