NA condemns India’s stance on Kashmir

Legislators resented parallels being drawn between Jammu and Kashmir and Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution, condemning India’s assertion at the UN General Assembly that Jammu and Kashmir is an “integral part of India”.

The resolution moved by Syed Naveed Qamar said the house resented parallels being drawn between Jammu and Kashmir and Balochistan.

The resolution said peace and progress depends on good neighbourly relations and the only way forward is constructive dialogue and not the “threats being issued by the Indian prime minister to unilaterally terminate the Indus Waters Treaty”.

“Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her speech in the UNGA ignored the fact that Jammu and Kashmir was still on the agenda of the UNSC and Indian Occupied Kashmir is universally accepted disputed territory.”

The resolution said: “The Modi government has a history of issuing threats with the misguided belief that Pakistan will move away from its support to innocent Kashmiris being butchered by Indian forces.

“The hostile environment being perpetuated by the present Indian government and creating war hysteria will not be in the best interest of peace and stability in the region.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2016.