A VETERAN Birmingham councillor has come under fire after attending a banned rally by a 'terrorist group'.

Mohammed Fazal, who was first elected to Birmingham City Council in 1987, attended the rally reportedly organised in support of Hizbul Mujahideen – a Kashmiri separatist group – in Victoria Square on July 5. *

The group, formed in 1991, is designated as a terrorist organisation in the US, EU and India known for carrying out terror attacks.

Their promotion for the rally included a call to take Kashmir by force until it is free from ‘Kuffars’ – a derogatory term for non-Islamic people.

Councillor Fazal, Labour representative for Springfield, played a prominent role in the rally, joining the speakers on the platform.

The event, attended by about 300 people, marked the anniversary of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in Indian-occupied northern Kashmir in 2016. His death sparked violent protests in region, leaving dozens dead.

(Image: Birmingham Post and Mail)

Birmingham City Council had initially allowed the protest but the Indian government objected.

When it drew attention to the group’s terrorist activity and violent calls to take Kashmir by force, the permission was withdrawn.

Coun Waseem Zaffar on Kashmir in the Council Chamber

Councillors were emailed and warned that the rally had been banned – but Councillor Fazal says he did not see it.

He told the Birmingham Mail: “The rally was against terrorism. Nobody told me it was banned.

“If they had, I would not have gone.”

Opposition Conservative councillor Peter Douglas Osborn (Weoley) called on the Birmingham Labour group to investigate.

“We will be asking the Labour group leader whether Councillor Fazal should retain his position,” he said.

“This group wants a Kashmir free from Kuffars. Speaking as a kuffar I reject that ideology and I wonder if that’s their view of any area where they are in the majority."

You are viewing an Accelerated Mobile Page. This embedded content is not currently supported. See it here

The West Midlands Labour Party was unavailable for comment.

Councillor Fazal has served two spells on the city council, from 1987 to 1995, and then from 2002 as councillor for the Springfield ward.

UPDATE: A group called the JKLC, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell, later said that it organised the rally.

It has denied that the rally was in support of Hizbul Mujahideen and its former leader Burhan Wani - but a rally for all Kashmiri victims of the conflict.

It claims a poster put out on social media presenting the event as Burhan Wani tribute and containing the inflammatory comments is fake and part of a smear campaign.

The city council confirmed it withdrew support for the rally in Victoria Square and councillors were banned from attending.

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: "We took a booking for a peaceful rally highlighting the human rights abuse in Kashmir. However we are now aware of concerns raised about the promotional leaflet and, having assessed the material, have not given permission for the use of Victoria Square.”