KP Assembly asks world to take notice of atrocities in IIOJ&K

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday expressed solidarity with the people of Indian-held Kashmir and approved three identical resolutions asking the international community to take notice of ongoing atrocities and human rights violations in the occupied valley. The assembly session, chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, had a one-point agenda on Monday in connection with Youm-e-Istehsal (Day of Exploitation) observed on August 05 in Pakistan.

The assembly members also observed a one-minute silence to display solidarity with the people of Occupied Kashmir on the day when the Indian government revoked the special status of the held valley on August 5, 2019.

In his resolution, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Jalal Khan said the people of Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, condemned the human rights violations by the Indian government in Occupied Kashmir and termed the August 5 action as illegal and against international laws.

“We standby the people of Kashmir at this critical moment and ask the UN and other international organizations to resolve the Kashmir issue in the light of UN resolutions,” he added. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPAs Sher Ali Afridi and Abdul Salam Afridi in their separate resolutions condemned the negation of the right of self-determination to the people of Occupied Kashmir. They asked the federal government to raise the Kashmir issue on every global platform.

“The government of Pakistan should continue moral, diplomatic and legal support for the fundamental rights of the Kashmiris,” the resolutions added. Awami National Party MPA Arbab Usman Khan said that the Modi government was engaged in the genocide of the Muslims in India and Occupied Kashmir but the whole Muslim Ummah had adopted silence over the atrocities.

“The Islamic countries have developed trade and economic relations with India,” he said and added that instead of observing token strike and Youm-e-Istehsal Kashmir, the Pakistan government should take practical steps to expose the human rights violations and atrocities by Indian troops in Kashmir to the world.

Rehana Ismail of the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl said the whole Muslim Ummah should unite for the cause of Kashmiris and the Pakistan government must evolve a clear foreign policy on the Kashmir issue.

After the session, the provincial assembly members, staff and others staged a token walk on the premises of the assembly building to express solidarity with the people of Occupied Kashmir. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly speaker led the walk and later talked to the media.