Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that Kashmir issue was not just a territorial dispute but a question of people's inherent right to self-determination. He added that brutal force and propaganda cannot gag the voice of freedom nor it can alter Pakistan's resolute and principled stance on the issue of Kashmir. He said this in his message at the eve of Kashmir Solidarity Day to be commemorated across Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir on February 5 to express solidarity with the Kashmiri brethren.
Referring to the future of South Asia and Kashmir dispute, the Speaker remarked that peace in South Asia will remain allusive when world's so called largest democracy unleash brute force against the people of Kashmir. He added that it is irony that the international community stands as silent spectator while India renege on UN resolutions and launch violence, fake encounters, enforced disappearances, rape, murders, and the use of pellet guns against defenseless population as India's officially sanctioned policy in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the United Nations and international community to ensure the implementation of its own resolutions on Kashmir and ensure its own relevance in international disputes resolutions.
Highlighting Pakistan's steadfast support to the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people, the Speaker reinforced Pakistan's unwavering historic stance on Kashmir and added that the people and Government of Pakistan will continue to provide all kinds of moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people at every forum. He highlighted that six countries 1st Speakers' Conference hosted by National Assembly of Pakistan held at Islamabad in December, 2017 in its declaration has stated that the Kashmir Issue needed peaceful resolution in accordance with UN Security Council to ensure the global and regional peace and stability. He said that the Parliament of Pakistan is fully committed for peaceful resolution of Kashmir Issue and has passed number of resolutions against the atrocities of Indian Armed Forces in Occupied Kashmir and for rights of self determination of people of held valley in accordance with resolutions of United Nations Security Councils. He remarked that forceful occupation of Kashmir was against the modern norms of nation state and people's basic right to self-determination - the right to form government as per people's aspirations free from foreign interference.
Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi also reaffirmed that Pakistan will continue to provide unflinching moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmir cause at various international forums. He added that Pakistan is a voice of the oppressed Kashmiris and will continue to stand with the Kashmiri brethren through every thick and thin.