Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Wednesday termed the gross human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir a challenge to the world conscience, adding that the blood and sacrifices of valiant Kashmiris would not go waste.
Addressing the joint session of the AJK Legislative Assembly, the prime minister said the UN Security Council resolutions provide the real grounds for the resolution of the long simmering dispute between Pakistan and India. “Plebiscite is the only answer to Kashmir dispute. India will have to surrender to the will of the people of Kashmir,” he added.
The prime minister strongly condemned the gross human rights violations against the unarmed civilian protestors and said the brutalities of the Indian army find no match as they even resort to firing over funerals of the martyrs.
Terming the Indian brutalities an ‘abortive attempt’ to silence the people of Kashmir, Prime Minister Abbasi said the attempts to cut off lines of communications, ban on internet and curfews cannot stop the people of held Kashmir from their struggle for their right to self-determination.
The prime minister expressed grave concern over restrictions by the Indian army on the movement of Kashmiri families and feared shortage of food and milk for the infants. He urged the international community to play their part in putting an end to these gross human rights violations.
He said the people in Indian-held Kashmir have been facing the illegal occupation of their lands for the past seven decades despite a clear resolution of the United Nations Security Council that calls for a plebiscite so as to let them decide their future.
The prime minister said that despite unending hostilities and a reign of terror by Indian forces, the people of Kashmir have refused to accept the illegal occupation. “Pakistan has, is and will continue to extend full political, moral and diplomatic support to its Kashmiri brethren,” he reiterated.
The prime minister saluted the valiant people of Kashmir for continuing to wage the struggle despite bearing heavy losses to their lives and property. He said the people have stood up to the atrocities, extrajudicial killings and pellet guns with courage and have proven that they would not yield to such tactics. He said immediately after the recent killings of the innocent Kashmiris by the Indian army, Pakistan strongly condemned the incident and demanded of the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to dispatch their fact-finding missions. He said he has also asked the United Nations to appoint a special envoy for Kashmir.
The prime minister said a special meeting of the cabinet took up the issue of the killings in Shopian and Anantnag and agreed on observing the Kashmir Solidarity Day on April 6 to raise the issue before the world. He said Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif was already in the process of apprising the brotherly countries of the continuing barbarities against the Kashmiris.
During his day-long visit to Muzaffarabad, the prime minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan, Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer, Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Tarar, Minster for Kashmir Affairs Ch Barjees Tahir and Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman.
Published in Daily Times, April 5th 2018.
