NA passes resolution denouncing BJP's demographic engineering in IIOJK

The National Assembly (NA) of Pakistan on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution to denounce the latest attempt at demographic engineering in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), through the 'delimitation commission' constituted in March 2020.

The NA recalled the resolution unanimously passed by the Parliament of Pakistan on August 6, 2019, which rejected India’s “illegal, unilateral, reckless, and coercive actions aimed at altering the internationally recognised disputed status of IIOJK.”

The assembly expressed gave concern over the series of illegal measures taken by the Indian occupation forces to change the demographics of the territory, in violation of international law, “particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention and relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC),” the draft read.

Lawmakers believe that the delimitation is aimed at “artificially altering the electoral strength of the Muslim majority in IIOJK, noting that the commission’s recommendations have been rejected by the cross-section of political parties in IIOJK.

The drafted resolution stated that Pakistan categorically rejects the report of the commission which “seeks to convert the Muslim majority region into a minority, and further marginalise, disenfranchise and disempower the Kashmiri population of IIOJK.”

The NA stated that the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), “through ‘delimitation’ is making attempts to further its illegal actions of August 5, 2019, and subsequent measures all of which have been categorically rejected by the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.”

Lawmakers recalled and reaffirmed that the Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute. They declared that no “façade of ‘elections’ based on a sham ‘delimitation’ exercise can substitute the legitimacy and indispensability of a free and impartial plebiscite.”

The NA furthered that the Kashmiri people must be enabled to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

Legislators demanded that India honours and fulfills its obligations under international law, and must refrain from illegally changing the demographics of the region.

The assembly urged the Indian government to end its “oppression and widespread violations of human rights,” and called upon the international community to “ensure accountability of India’s grave and persistent violations of human rights and war crimes.”

Read IIOJK redrawn constituencies give Hindus greater representation

Pakistan reiterated its “unflinching commitment and solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters” and reaffirmed that the state will “continue to extend all possible support in their just struggle for freedom and self-determination.”

The NA requests the government to continue to “expose and counter Indian moves before the international community and highlight the forceful project that Kashmir cause at all bilateral and multilateral fora, including the UN and the OIC [Organisation of Islamic Cooperation].”

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had earlier asked the UNSC to take immediate cognizance of the grave implications of the controversial illegal delimitation of IIOJK, describing it as India's sinister ploy to reduce the representation of Muslims.

Bilawal, in the letter, apprised them, in particular, of India's sinister ploy of reducing the representation of Muslims through the unlawful 'delimitation' exercise.

He underscored that these illegal measures constituted a flagrant violation of international law, including the UN Charter and the relevant Security Council resolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and were ipso facto illegal and null and void.

He also highlighted India's gross, systematic and widespread human rights violations in the IIOJK and drew particular attention to the ongoing Indian efforts to further marginalise, disempower and divide the beleaguered Kashmiri population.

On May 6, The Indian Charge d’Affaires (Cd’A) was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed over a demarche conveying the government of Pakistan’s categorical rejection of the report of the delimitation commission.

The Indian side was conveyed that this entire exercise was farcical and had already been rejected by the cross-section of political parties in IIOJK. "Through this effort, India only wanted to lend ‘legitimacy’ to its illegal actions of August 5, 2019," a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.