Your say / Kashmir
‘While events may be taking place far away, worry and uncertainty are being felt every day in Bristol’
Over the past week my phone has barely stopped ringing.
Residents from across Bristol have been contacting me worried, distressed and searching for information about loved ones in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
For many people, Kashmir is a place they see mentioned in the news from time to time.
For thousands of Bristol residents, it is something far more personal.
It is where their parents were born, where grandparents still live, where family homes remain and where brothers, sisters, cousins and lifelong friends continue to build their lives.
Bristol has one of the largest Kashmiri communities in the South West.
Generations of families from Mirpur, Kotli, Bhimber, Poonch, Bagh and beyond have helped shape the city we know today.
They have established businesses, worked in our NHS, driven our taxis, taught in our schools, volunteered in our communities and contributed enormously to the social, economic and cultural life of Bristol.
Their story is part of Bristol’s story.
As chair of the Bristol Kashmir Foundation and the Azad Kashmir Funeral Committee, I have had the privilege of working closely with Kashmiri families for many years.
I have seen the strength of those family ties and the deep affection people continue to hold for the towns and villages their families came from.
Those connections do not fade with distance or time. They remain strong across generations.
That is why the recent events in Azad Kashmir have been felt so deeply here in Bristol.
Whatever view people may hold about the political causes of the current unrest, there is one thing that unites almost everyone I have spoken to: concern for the safety and wellbeing of ordinary people.
The messages I have received have not been political. They have been human.
People wanting to know whether elderly parents are safe. Whether relatives can access medical care. Whether communications will be restored. Whether loved ones are able to leave their homes without fear.
These are the worries that keep people awake at night when information is limited and contact becomes difficult.
When communication breaks down, uncertainty quickly takes its place.
Families begin to imagine the worst. Every missed call feels significant. Every unanswered message creates another layer of anxiety.
For many Kashmiri families in Bristol, the events unfolding thousands of miles away are not distant international affairs. They are affecting real people they know and love.
Like many residents of our city, my own roots are in Azad Kashmir. I understand the powerful connection that exists between Bristol and that part of the world.
The distance between the two may be measured in miles, but emotionally those ties remain remarkably close.
News from Azad Kashmir is often received in Bristol within minutes, and concern travels just as quickly.
This is not about importing political divisions into our city.
Bristol has always been strongest when communities come together rather than allowing events elsewhere to divide us.
Instead, this is about recognising the genuine concerns being expressed by our neighbours, colleagues, friends and fellow residents.
It is about understanding that international events often have very local consequences.
The principles that should guide us are simple.
The protection of civilian life, access to healthcare, the ability of families to communicate with one another, respect for human dignity and a commitment to dialogue rather than confrontation.
These are not controversial positions. They are values that most people would recognise as basic standards of humanity.
As elected representatives, our responsibility is to listen when communities are worried and to ensure their concerns are heard.
It is not our role to inflame tensions but to support residents who are anxious about the wellbeing of family members and loved ones abroad.
I have been encouraged by the many people from all backgrounds who have reached out to express solidarity with Bristol’s Kashmiri community.
At times of uncertainty, those gestures matter.
Bristol has a long tradition of standing with communities facing difficult circumstances.
We are a city that understands the importance of compassion, dialogue and mutual support.
We know that behind every headline there are real people, real families and real lives.
My hope is that tensions in Azad Kashmir ease quickly, that communications are fully restored and that those with influence choose dialogue, restraint and peaceful solutions.
Above all, I hope that the many Bristol families anxiously waiting for news from loved ones receive the reassurance they have been seeking.
Because while these events may be taking place many thousands of miles away, the concern, worry and uncertainty are being felt every day here in Bristol.
This is an opinion piece by Abdul Malik, Green Party councillor for Ashley Ward, chair of the Bristol Kashmir Foundation and the Azad Kashmir Funeral Committee
Main photo: Rob Browne
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