Senate takes dim view of Indian brutalities

Resolution calls for giving Kashmiris right to self-determination

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Friday unanimously passed a resolution urging world organisations to work for implementing UN resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.

Moved by Leader of the House Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, the consensus resolution condemns brutal killings, human rights violations and restrictions on freedom of expression – including on mass and social media – in Occupied Kashmir, and expressed solidarity with the oppressed and struggling people of the Valley.

The Upper House notes that since the killing of Burhan Wani and scores of innocent civilians, the unprecedented brutality of Indian security forces in the Valley has resulted in an ongoing massacre leading to over 50 fatalities, 3,500 injuries and blinding and critically maiming of nearly 150 persons.

“Apart from the fifth generation of Kashmiris facing near genocidal policies of the [Indian] state, with the highest soldier-civilian ratio in the world as over 700,000 troops and paramilitary remain as occupiers in a Valley with a population of four million, black laws reinforce the egregious human rights violations,” the resolution underlines.

“Black laws like the public safety act, the Jammu and Kashmir forces special powers act and other punitive measures which should be immediately repealed since they are repugnant to fundamental rights and human dignity encoded in the universal laws and civilised norms.”

The Senate unequivocally condemns these blatant violations of international and human rights laws and urges international organisations to respond to this urgent call of conscience, implementing forthwith the UN resolutions on the inalienable right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, replying to a calling attention notice moved by Senator Sassui Palijo, Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid informed the House that the new NFC award has started working.

“The commission met in April last year and constituted four working groups. While three working groups have submitted their reports, the fourth one was being finalised.” The minister clarified that the 7th NFC Award is still valid and has not expired. Rather it has been given legal cover through a presidential order.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani stated that the NFC should be announced after every five years under the constitutional provision. He observed that the government had announced two budgets without announcing the new NFC Award.

Moreover, the chairman asked the minister to convey the concerns of small provinces to the prime minister in this regard.

Responding to a question moved by Kulsoom Parveen, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal told the House that provinces are in the process of carrying out feasibility studies for setting up special economic zones under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. China has also offered to extend cooperation in establishing four to five economic zones in different parts of the country, the minister said.

“We have also addressed the reservations of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on the project,” he added.

In a written reply to the Senate, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said so far a total of 9,920 people have availed the facility of voluntary registration/tax amnesty scheme by filing returns, adding Rs850 million have been collected under the scheme.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2016.