PM to write letters to heads of UN veto club

National Assembly adopts resolution slamming Indian atrocities

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution condemning atrocities committed by Indian security forces amid gross human rights violation in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the world to stop acts of state sponsored terrorism in the disputed Himalayan valley.



“This house calls upon the government to press the international community, inter-governmental and inter-parliamentary organisations, international non-governmental organisations and civil society and media organisations to urge the government of India to immediately stop all violations of the human rights of the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir and acts of state terrorism,” the text of the resolution read.

The resolution was moved by Law Minister Zahid Hamid after the house suspended its agenda for the day to discuss the issue of Kashmir.



The resolution further called for repealing all “black laws like the Armed Forces [Jammu and Kashmir] Special Powers Act 1990, Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978 and others which are repugnant to fundamental rights and human dignity.” It also called for releasing all political prisoners including the leadership of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, lift all restrictions on the media, stop intimidation and harassment of journalists and implement UN Security Council Resolutions promising the right of self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.



During the debate, the opposition grilled the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government over its response to the violence in Indian Kashmir. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) targeted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for making compromises.

Questions were also raised on the role and performance of NA’s Kashmir Committee. The committee’s chairman and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman complained that the committee did not have powers.

Imran Leghari of the PPP slammed the government for its apparent lack of courage in talking to India about the matter, alleging that the PML-N “change foreign policy priorities because of their personal businesses.” He conceded that every government in Pakistan has tried to improve relations with India but New Delhi has always spurned these efforts.



He went on to ask the government “not to take dictation from anyone [on foreign policy] and this entire house would support you.”

Jamat-e-Islami’s Sahibzada Tariqullah alleged that the rulers have secured some underhand deal over Kashmir since they have done nothing on the subject.

Dr Shireen Mazari of PTI complained that Parliament does not call the shots on foreign policy. “Nothing is going to change unless foreign policy is in the hands of bureaucracy,” she said while urging the government to launch a diplomatic offensive against Indian atrocities in Kashmir.



PTI’s Dr Arif Alvi lamented that Pakistan could not make the world understand that the Kashmir struggle was an indigenous movement, contrary to New Delhi’s allegations. He also criticised the federal cabinet for its lethargy, adding that the premier should have called heads of the states of the UNSC member countries.

Responding to the criticism, PM’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz pointed out that the government wrote letters to the UN Secretary-General, the President of the UNSC, the Secretary-General of Organisation of Islamic cooperation, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights about the matter.

Aziz disclosed that Nawaz will soon write letters to heads of five UNSC members.

“We have started a campaign to highlight the issue of Kashmir [using diplomatic and political means],” he said.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs Barjees Tahir complained how the Kargil war had wasted efforts made by Nawaz during the 1999 Lahore Declaration.

Resolutions

The house passed three other resolutions on Monday.

One resolution expressed solidarity with parliament and democratic government of Turkey and admiration for Turkish people for defeating the coup attempt.



In another resolution, the house placed on record its deepest sorrow at the passing away of Abdul Sattar Edhi terming him the “epitome of selflessness, sacrifice and service to humanity.”

In yet another resolution, the NA condemned brutal murder of popular Qawwal Amjad Sabri and urged the law enforcement agencies to apprehend the culprits as soon as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2016.