Parliament to become voice of Kashmiris: NA speaker

• The Kashmir issue comes under discussion at every federal cabinet meeting.
• The UN Secretary General and UN Security Council why it has failed to stop India from undermining peace in the region.

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser Wednesday said Parliament will become voice of Kashmiris and will undertake effective parliamentary diplomacy to highlight the Kashmir issue at international forums.

Speaking at the National Parliamentarians Conference here, he said after India's step of August 5, joint sitting of the Parliament passed a resolution on Kashmir and the resolution was sent to 178 countries.

He appreciated the Senate for arranging the conference, adding three parliamentarians of United Kingdom came to Pakistan and were briefed on Kashmir.

Giving details of the Parliament's efforts on Kashmir, he said while in October a parliamentary delegation of Pakistan will visit United Kingdom Parliament to raise the Kashmir issue.

He said Omanese parliamentary delegation on a visit to Pakistan extended support on Kashmir, adding Malaysian, Turkish and Moroccan speakers will visit Pakistan in October.

A speaker conference will be held in Kazakhstan and in this conference, Pakistani delegation will apprise about Kashmir.

Speaker conferences will also be arranged in Turkey, Iraq and Uganda, he said and added Iran passed a resolution in support of Kashmir.

Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza said Kashmir is the oldest unresolved agenda and dispute pending at the United Nations.

She said the Kashmir issue comes under discussion at every federal cabinet meeting.

She said all the political parties were united on the Kashmir issue, adding Pakistan is prepared for any military action, however it is presently exhausting all its diplomatic options.

She also mentioned the human rights violations, use of pellet guns and forced disappearances by India in the valley of Kashmir.

Fehmida said the UN Human Rights Commissioner, United Nations, European Union and human rights organizations and minorities in India are protesting in favour of Kashmiris.

Minorities in India are feeling insecure and the international community should take notice of the situation, she added.

International media has reported the human rights violations and rape of women in occupied Kashmir, she said.

She asked the UN Secretary General and UN Security Council why it has failed to stop India from undermining peace in the region.

The minister stressed that the UN Security Council will have to play its role for implementation of its resolutions.

She said the UN Secretary General should take notice of the situation in Kashmir which would endanger peace in the region.

Pakistan is showing restraint as it is abiding by the international law, she said adding Indian judiciary and media is put under pressure by the Indian government.

The minister said the political leadership should be united on the Kashmir issue as it is a matter of integrity of Pakistan.

She paid tribute to Kashmiri women, youth and children for standing up against Indian aggression and lauded Pakistani armed forces for defending borders of the country.

Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan and every young and old would sacrifice for Kashmir, she added.

Senator Sherry Rehman said Kashmir issue is critical to the foreign policy of Pakistan.

She said Pakistan Peoples Party is in the forefront in support of the Kashmir issue.

She said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto forcefully advocated the Kashmir issue.

Pakistanis has one voice on the issue of Kashmir and Kashmiris will not be left alone in their struggle for freedom, she added.

She said it is just a pretence that India is the largest democracy, adding the Parliament is strong enough to take the message of Kashmiris to the world.

Sherry said the government should take the leadership of parties in the Parliament into confidence on the Kashmir issue.

She said according to the United Nations, Kashmir was a disputed territory.

Gilgit Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman said Gilgit Baltistan always wanted to be part of Pakistan.

People of Gilgit Baltistan are dismayed at the step taken by India on August 5, he said adding Pakistan will have to speed up its efforts to get advantage of opinion of the international community which has turned against India.

Hafeezur Rehman said there is unity on the Kashmir issue but political differences should be resolved and enmity should not be taken to an extreme.

People of Gilgit Baltistan are ready to offer sacrifice of their lives for the Kashmir cause, he added.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said Kashmir belonged to Pakistan and once Zulfikar Bhutto said people of Kashmir were part of Pakistan in blood, in flesh and in life, in a speech in September 1965 at the United Nations.

He said PPP is committed to Kashmir cause and will not sit idle till India ends illegal occupation of Kashmir. He said the UN has declared Kashmir as a disputed territory.

India cannot decide the future of Kashmir on its own, he said adding India has taken away the autonomy of Kashmir, arrested Kashmiri leaders, cut off communications, and perpetrated violence against Kashmiris.

The chief minister said India wanted to change the demography of Kashmir by settling RSS activists in the Kashmir valley.

Modi was an enemy of Muslims and Indian army was crushing the protests of Kashmiris, he added.

He said Bhutto once said irrespective of its size and strength, Pakistan will fight till end for its defence and for honour.