Taking on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's 'passive' stance towards Kashmir, former chairman Senate Raza Rabbani said on Friday that Pakistan needs to pull itself out of OIC, while terming the organisation 'worse' than United Nations, as the Senate passed a unanimous resolution in support of Kashmir.
"Time has come to part ways from OIC. The OIC is worse than the UN," Rabbani said while speaking in the House during the Senate session presided over by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.
"There has been so much blood on the streets of Indian Occupied Kashmir, so much brutality by the Indian occupation forces but not a word has come from the OIC or the Muslim Ummah to call India an aggressor; to categorically and strongly condemn the height of tyranny meted out at the innocent Kashmiris by the Indian forces," said Rabbani.
Only three states have openly and strongly supported Pakistan on Kashmir; Iran, Turkey and China, he said. According to Rabbani, "Iranian parliament passed a resolution in support of Kashmir but there has been no media coverage of such a great move in our country. Why? Because not appreciating Iran we are trying to please the so-called custodians of Ummah. Where is this Ummah by the way? It is sleeping the way it has been for the last many decades."
Not only Muslims but Christians, Sikhs and people from other faiths who are residents of IOK are also immensely suffering due to the imposition of curfew for the last 26 days in the occupied valley, Rabbani said.
He also strongly criticised the world powers for staying soft on India. "The world leadership is profit-oriented. The policies of these world powers are driven by their economic interests. They are least bothered about grave human rights violations going on in Kashmir for the last 26 days with the imposition of round-the-clock curfew."
Rabbani who belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), specifically took on the United States and said, "Pakistan signed SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation) because of the US. Pakistan signed CENTO (Central Treaty Organisation) because of the US, Pakistan did not become part of NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) because of the US; Pakistan fought war with Russia (Afghan Jihad) because of the US, always sided with the US as an ally but whenever we need American support, our allies are nowhere to be seen. We don't need this kind of alliance and such friendship. We have always been at loss as far as our so-called friendship with the US is concerned. They have always taken advantage of our submissive approach towards them."
Other senators from treasury and opposition benches including Mohsin Aziz from PTI, Mushahid Hussain Sayed from PML-N, Usman Kakar from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri from Jamiat JUI-F, Nighat Mirza from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Rehman Malik from PPP and others also shared views on the situation in Kashmir.
Mohsin Aziz suggested to the chairman Senate to assign designated groups of senators to visit different states across the globe to sensitise the world and shape international public opinion in favour of Kashmir. "Emotional speeches, protests, resolutions and all these symbolic measures against India and in favour of Kashmir are okay but practically this would do little good to the Kashmir cause. We need to do something practical from the forum of Senate to highlight Kashmir cause at every nook and corner of the world."
The chairman Senate responded that he has already assigned special delegates to visit different parts of the world to highlight Kashmir cause and these visits would start soon.
Winding up the two-day debate on the IOK, Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz paid gratitude to the entire House including treasury and opposition benches for the demonstration of unity on Kashmir cause. He presented a resolution on Kashmir which was unanimously passed by the Senate.
The resolution strongly condemns the illegal annexation of Occupied Kashmir by India, led by Narendra Modi and the RSS gang he represents, with the aim to change the demography of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir as part of their fascist and racist agenda.
This annexation is an attempt to undermine the United Nations charter, international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions which accept the inalienable right of self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In pursuance of fascist and racist agenda, which is inspired by Nazi Germany, since this fascist mindset and practices are similar, the regime of Narendra Modi is committing another grave crime against humanity by turning Occupied Kashmir into the world's biggest and most brutal concentration camp with imposing curfew and its complete lockdown, closing of all communications, with thousands of innocent Kashmiris arrested, kidnapped, maimed or martyred or raped.
"While welcoming the UN Security Council meeting on Kashmir and reaffirmation by the UN secretary general of commitment to UNSC resolution on Kashmir, we would also like to express appreciation of the positions taken by our friends like China, Turkey and Iran, whose Parliament has also passed a resolution in support of Kashmiri people. The Senate of Pakistan while expressing full solidarity and support to the valiant struggle of the Kashmiri people resisting repression and military might with their spirit, grit and determination, we urged the government and all the relevant stakeholders to formulate a coherent national strategy and national stamina to sustain that strategy. We also express our appreciation to all other parliamentarians, civil society, intelligentsia, media and human rights organisations, all over the world who support the just and heroic struggle of the oppressed people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir."
Later, the Senate session was adjourned till Monday.