Daily Times

The joint session of the parliament on Wednesday vehemently rejected the Indian government’s move to revoke the special status of Held Kashmir.

In a unanimously passed resolution, the legislators condemned illegal, unilateral, reckless and coercive attempt by India to alter the disputed status of Indian-held Kashmir through repeal and revocation of Article 35-A of the Indian constitution. The resolution also condemned the deployment of additional troops in the occupied valley, Indian firing and shelling on the Line of Control and use of cluster bombs by Indian forces in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmir Committee Chairman Syed Fakhar Imam presented the resolution, which maintained that the move is aimed at changing demography of the disputed area as well as ethnic cleansing of Kashmiris. The Kashmir issue should be resolved through the UN plebiscite, said the resolution, adding that Pakistan will continue diplomatic, moral and political support of the Kashmiri people.

Addressing the session, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari said the situation in the occupied valley is the second major incident after the separation of East Pakistan. “PPP was formed for the cause of Kashmir. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, after negotiations, took back the land from Indira Gandhi,” he said. “India will be divided because of Modi’s thinking. Muslims of India and occupied Kashmir now understand the two-nation theory of Quaid-e-Azam,” he said. “Does India not know there is tailor-made democracy in Pakistan?” he questioned. “If this situation had happened during my tenure, I would have gone to UAE, China, Russia and Iran. We should keep our friends close,” he added.

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari termed India’s move to abolish the special status of occupied Kashmir as a war crime. “There cannot be peace in the region when India is preparing for war,” she maintained. “The voice of Kashmiris is the voice of Pakistan. We will take action which will make it clear to Kashmiris that we are standing with them,” she added.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur said Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. “We will fight to the last drop of our blood for Kashmir,” he said. Eulogising the sacrifices of Kashmiris for their right to self-determination, the minister said India is an occupying force and wants to change the demographic composition of the occupied valley. He said the Pakistani nation stood by their Kashmiri brethren in the past and will do so in the future as well in their quest for freedom from illegal Indian occupation.

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed predicted that now India can also attack Azad Kashmir. “I can foresee a war on borders within three to six months,” he said, adding that 240 million Muslims in India are looking towards Pakistan. Putting forth his anticipation about an India-Pakistan war, the minister, however, ruled out the use of nuclear weapons owing to the presence of 240 million Muslims in India. “I think the Pakistani army chief will go to China now as there is also unrest in Ladakh which is linked with China,” he said.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry called for breaking diplomatic relations with New Delhi. “If no decision is accepted, why is the Indian envoy here? The Indian envoy is a nice man but he is a representative of a fascist government,” he said. “If there is no diplomacy then why is money being spent on diplomats? We should break diplomatic ties with India,” he maintained.

Senator Mushahid Hussain termed the Indian move to end the special status of occupied Kashmir as the darkest day in the history of the region since 1971. He said August 5, when India ended the special status of Kashmir and deployed thousands of its troops in the valley, is the darkest day in the history of the region as the geography of the region was changed forcefully. “Government should learn from its mistakes. No country has supported Pakistan except China,” he said, and suggested that diplomatic emergency should be implemented for the next 100 days.

Leader of Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq said India had been preparing for this step for long and had already paved the way for domestic and international public opinion in its favour.

“Pakistan needs to mobilise the international public opinion against this step as Kashmiris are suffering immense human rights abuses by an occupying force,” he said, and added that the UN charter binds its members to avoid such steps that are discriminatory to native populations.

JUI-F parliamentary leader Maulana Asad Mehmood said Pakistan stands with its Kashmiri brethren. He said a strong message should be sent from Pakistan’s parliament that all political parties are on the same page to condemn the Indian move.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq said India cannot suppress the right to self-determination of Kashmiris by use of force. He said India planned well ahead to carry out its plan of changing the demographic composition of Kashmir to annex the land. He warned that if a strong response is not given to India now, it can claim Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan in the next phase.

Veteran PPP leader Raza Rabbani expressed fear that India will now do ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri population to strengthen its control on Kashmir. He said narrative on suppression of Kashmiris voices and their genocide by the occupying authorities must be promoted in the Western world. He suggested changing the course of foreign policy in order to achieve meaningful results. Khalid Khan Magsi of Balochistan Awami Party said, “We as a nation need to strengthen our identity and be able to convince the world of our viewpoint.” He said India is trying to strengthen its occupation and “we should not shy away from war, in order to stop this from happening.”