Human rights in IoK: NA body not satisfied with ministry's briefing

12 Jan, 2017

National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over briefing given by Ministry of Foreign Affairs on violation of human rights in the Indian-held Kashmir. A meeting of the committee was held here in the Parliament House in the chair of MNA Babar Nawaz Khan.
The committee decided to invite Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and a member from the Committee on Kashmir Affairs in its next meeting for briefing on the issue. The committee members expressed their dissatisfaction over briefing by officials of the Foreign Affairs about the human rights violations in the Indian-held Kashmir.
The representatives of the Foreign Affairs said that it is a sensitive issue and the government is doing its best highlight the issue at the international forums. The committee chairman also recommended that Pakistan should formulate an effective strategy to highlight atrocities of Indian forces in the Indian-held Kashmir at international level.
Babar Nawaz directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to effectively highlight the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav at the global forums to tell the world about India's dirty role in Pakistan. He said the Pakistan security agencies have been doing their best to thwart Indian designs against the country.
The committee members also directed the Foreign Affairs officials to brief staff of the foreign missions about importance of Kashmir for Pakistan and the Indian forces' atrocities in the Occupied Kashmir. The committee also recommended that all embassies and high commissions of Pakistan should observe February 5 as a special day to express solidarity with Kashmiris and highlight the Indian forces' atrocities in the occupied Kashmir. The committee said that Kashmir is an integral part of Pakistan and the struggle to get it out of the clutches of India should continue with full vigour.
Zamurad Khan, Patron-in-Chief Pakistan Sweet Homes briefed the committee about the existing child begging issue and its solution. The committee appreciated his suggestions and asked many questions pertaining to this issue from the Ministry of Human Rights and representative from Islamabad Police department because this issue was already taken up in one of the committee's previous meetings.
The committee recommended that the government should grant sufficient funds to Ministry of Human Rights for making a child protection centre so that "we should provide international level facilities to poor children." Meanwhile, the committee unanimously acknowledged that the sub-committee which was constituted on 28th September 2016 under the convenership of MNA Munaza Hassan has completed its life time of thirty days. Therefore, it is no more effective and the pending business as per ToRs of the sub-committee will be considered by the main committee.

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