A passionate call for councillors to speak up about the Kashmir conflict has won member’s support.

Slough representatives agreed to urge the local MP, Tan Dhesi, to use his influence in parliament and cooperate with the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, to bring about a peaceful resolution.

Councillors will also write to the Indian High Commissioner urging India to lift controls over the Kashmiri population and to the secretary general of United Nations to use their influence to make improvements on the situation.

The call was brought to council by councillor Zaffar Ajaib who argued that Slough has a large Kashmiri community who are concerned about their family’s safety and wellbeing in the region.

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Kashmir has been in dispute between India and Pakistan for a long time where tensions have recently escalated due to India revoking Article 370- a clause which gave Kashmir autonomy and its own constitution including its own flag.

The region has been in complete lockdown where telephone and internet networks have been cut off.

Speaking against the motion, opposing Conservative councillor, Dexter Smith, said: “Our council business is about local services and representing the people of Slough in getting good services from its council.

“I accept that there are people from that part of Kashmir here who are concerned about their relatives, but that is not an issue that this council needs to be drawn into.”

Labour councillor, Christine Hulme, said: “We represent a town with a large population of people from Kashmir, whose families are still living there, and those people are concerned about their safety and welfare.

“That’s not unreasonable for a council to highlight and that’s a very unreasonable thing for local community representatives to do.”

The vote took place as an extraordinary meeting after councillors voted to approve this year’s budget.