A parliamentary delegation comprising Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Senator Talha Mahmood and Senator Abbas Kumaili on Friday visited the United Nations (UN) mission in the federal capital and urged the international community, especially the UNO to persuade India to end the use of brute force against the civilians of Kashmir.
The delegation also submitted condemnatory parliamentary resolutions against the brutalities of Indian forces in occupied Kashmir. Later, in an exclusive talk with the APP, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani said that the condemnation resolutions were passed by a joint sitting of Senate standing committees on foreign affairs and Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas and Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights.
"It was a positive sign that Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Farooq H. Naek not only attended the meeting but raised voice against the brute use of force by Indian forces against innocent Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir," he said.
"It was a pleasant omen that the joint sitting passed unanimous resolution rising above the political divide. It was also decided that the European Parliament would also be moved over the issue, while a letter would also be written to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the EU parliament urging it to take notice of massive human rights violations in occupied Kashmir, which had demonstrated and more than 3 lakh people came on the streets to agitate the Shahadat of Sheikh Abdul Aziz," he said.
He said it was also decided that a delegation of Upper House of the Parliament comprising members of Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs and Human Rights will visit USA to meet Dr Aafia Saddiqui.
"The Senate delegation will meet Dr Aafia Saddiqui in US to inquire about her ordeal in the US prison," Mushahid Hussain added. The delegation will comprise Members of Parliament (MPs) Senators Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Talha Mehmood, Saadia Abbasi and Abbas Kumaili.
He said the delegation will also visit Guantanamo Bay prison to know about the treatment meted out to the inmates, adding the delegation will also ask the US authority to close down the prison. "We would also meet 7 Pakistani prisoners who are still at the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison," added Mushahid Hussain.
He said that Chairman Senate Committee on Human Rights S.M. Zafar could not attend the meeting due to his prior engagements in Lahore. He said the MPs also passed unanimous resolutions in condemnation to the assassination of Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz and 22 others by Indian forces.
"The MPs took strong notice of the loss of precious lives due to use of brute force by the Indian security forces against the civilians in occupied Kashmir. The delegation also expressed its concerns over the alarming human rights situation in the occupied Kashmir emerging from the continued economic blockade of the valley and attacks on the Muslims by the extremist pro-Indian elements.
The MPs condemned the human rights violations and economic blockade against the people of Kashmir and called for immediate steps to stop state-terrorism and prevent the human rights violation in the occupied Kashmir.
They reaffirmed Pakistan's political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir calling for a just settlement to the core issue of Kashmir in accordance with the UN resolutions. The MPs also expressed their complete solidarity with Yaseen Malik, President JKLF, who is on a hunger strike against Indian brutalities.