Joint sitting to express solidarity with Kashmiris today

ISLAMABAD: The joint sitting of Parliament will pass a resolution on Wednesday (today) to express solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) for their right to self-determination.

Through the resolution — to be moved by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari — the joint session will demand that India rescind its illegal and unilateral action of 5th August, 2019 and subsequent measures and earnestly implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions so as to enable the Kashmiris to determine their future through an impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices.

The joint sitting will also express serious concern over the presence of more than 900,000 Indian forces which have turned the IIOJ&K into one of the most militarized regions of the world.

The two houses will also deplore the impunity with which the Indian forces continue their egregious human rights violations in the occupied territory under the draconian laws that defy the norms of justice.

According to the agenda released by the National Assembly Secretariat, the joint session will also pass the Protection of Parents Bill, 2022 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

The two bills passed by the National Assembly but not cleared by the Senate within 90 days would be taken into consideration at once under clause (3) of Article 70 of the Constitution.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi will move a motion that in order to create national consensus and awareness, the House may discuss issues of national importance including economic policy, Jammu and Kashmir issue, respect for national institutions, China Pakistan Economic Corridor, Population Explosion (6) Climate Change Impacts and Foreign Policy.