AN EAST Lancashire county councillor has called on the region’s Kashmiri-origin population to use the upcoming general election to help resolve the territorial dispute in the region through a referendum.

Dr Misfar Hassan, who represents Burnley Central East for Labour, has called on the region’s residents to write to their MP and prospective parliamentary candidates in a bid to bring the long-running dispute to an end.

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He said: “ In East Lancashire there are thousands of Kashmiri-born people and in the UK it’s over a million.

“They should link their vote to this issue to raise awareness of it. We are living in a multi-cultural society but there is not much awareness.

“Then we [need to] ask the mainstream population to use their power to be responsive on this issue.”

Dr Hassan said Labour has pledged to review its own Kashmir policy and said it could lead to them winning the Kashmiri-population’s vote .”

The mayor of Hyndburn, Cllr Munsif Dad, who originates from the Pakistani-held part of the region, said: “Kashmir is a disputed territory between Pakistan and India.

“When they became independent 67 years ago, it was left to the people of Kashmir to decide for themselves what they wanted but the region was invaded by both countries and, since then, the country has been divided into a very large proportion held by India, and a smaller part held by Pakistan.

“The people want a referendum.”

An event due to be held at Accrington Town Hall tomorrow to celebrate Cllr Dad’s mayoral year, while also raising money for his chosen charities and honouring his Kashmiri heritage, has been cancelled.

It will be rearranged for a later date.

Prime minister David Cameron said in a 2011 trip to Pakistan that the Kashmir conflict was Britain’s fault.