Islamabad
At a time when the Kashmir issue is being hotly discussed at the local and international level due to growing tension between Pakistan and India, the 24-member Special Committee on Kashmir seems to have become dysfunctional as it did not convene even a single meeting in last couple of years.
The members of the committee belonging to ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) showed reservations over its performance and regretted that they met on the Kashmir Day last year otherwise not a single meeting was convened in last two years.
According to various reports, the Special Committee on Kashmir gets the highest number of funds worth Rs. 66 million as compared to that of all other standing committees but if one observes its performance it appears dysfunctional due to inaction on the part of the chairman.
The Special Committee on Kashmir was first elected, along with other committees, through a motion in the House on August 21, 2013. Maulana Fazlur Rehman was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Committee.
The official record showed that the Special Kashmir Committee was formed to monitor violations of human rights and atrocities committed by the Indian forces in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, mobilize world opinion in support of the cause of right of self determination and provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
A member of the committee Muhammad Arshad Khan Laghari of PML-N told ‘The News’ that it is highly unfortunate that the whole world is discussing the Kashmir issue in the context of deferred Pakistan-India talks but the Special Kashmir Committee is nowhere to highlight this issue in this critical juncture of history.
“I request the chairman of the Special Kashmir Committee to convene a meeting and raise a strong and loud voice in favor of the Kashmiri people who are facing atrocities at
the hands of the Indian government,” he said.
Another member Engr. Dawar Khan Kundi of PTI said the Special Kashmir Committee was formed to highlight the Kashmir issue at the international level but unfortunately it has done nothing except lip service for the Kashmiri people.
He said: “I am amazed that why meeting of the committee was not convened after recent tension between Pakistan and India. The international community is discussing the Kashmir issue but we have no time to sit and highlight this issue that has made the region a nuclear flashpoint in the region.”
Dawar Khan Kundi said he never thinks it advisable to enjoy only perks and privileges and do nothing for the cause of the Kashmiri people who are the worst victims of the state terrorism in Indian held Kashmir.
Abdul Sattar Bachani of PPP said the members are not responsible for the inaction of the Special Kashmir Committee because if no meeting was convened in last two years then what can they do in this respect.
“The government should give some attention to the Special Kashmir Committee and talk to the concerned people to make it active and functional. It is our collective responsibility to highlight the lingering Kashmir issue and raise voice in favor of the people of Indian held Kashmir,” he said.