PM names 20 MPs to highlight Kashmir issue at world level

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has nominated 20 talented parliamentarians belonging to both the houses of parliament as his special envoys to highlight the Kashmir cause and Indian brutalities in important countries of the world.

The decision has been taken to mobilise the world opinion on the plight of the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). It is likely that the special envoys will start reaching the capitals assigned to them this week. The action will greatly help in providing due significance to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s next month’s address before the summit of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York where he will raise the Kashmir issue yet another time in its true perspective, reminding the world about its responsibilities to stop the Indian brutalities in the IOK.

Prime Minister Nawaz has made it clear: “I have decided to send these parliamentarians for fighting the Kashmir cause in different parts of the world. These special envoys have strength of the people of Pakistan, prayers from the Kashmiri people across the Line of Control, mandate of parliament and support from the government.”

The prime minister said: “I am standing behind these special envoys to ensure their toil for highlighting the Kashmir cause resonates across the world so that I can shake the collective conscience of the international community during my address at the UN this September.

“We will remind the United Nations on its long-held promise of self determination to the Kashmiri people; we will make it clear to India that it was India that approached the United Nations several decades back on Kashmir dispute but not fulfilling its promise. Generation after generation of Kashmiris have seen only broken pledges and ruthless oppression.”

He emphasised that this anniversary of the UN ought to be a catalyst spurring the body into action. The Kashmir dispute is the most persistent failure of the United Nations; the UN must establish its relevance, he added.

“We cannot relent from the Kashmir cause by any stretch of imagination,” he reiterated.

Highly-placed diplomatic sources told ‘The News’ here on Saturday that it has been for the first time in the history of the country that a prime minister has designated so many special envoys for a particular mission. The special envoys and their destinations are: Former Federal Minister and President PML-Z Muhammad Ejazul Haq, Malik Uzair MNA (Belgium), former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Khusro Bakhtiar, Alamdad Lalika MNA (China), Chairperson Polio Eradication Programme Ms Ayesha Raza Farooq MNA, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan (France), former federal Minister Raza Hayat Heraj, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry MNA, Nawab Ali Wasan MNA (Russian Federation), Chief of JUI and Chairman Parliament Committee of Kashmir Maulana Fazlur Rehman, former State Minister Major Tahir Iqbal, Muhammad Afzal Khokhar (Saudi Arabia), Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Mohsin Ali Ranjha, Malik Pervaiz MNA (Turkey), Senator General Malik Abdul Qayyum, Qaisar Ahmad Shaikh MNA (United Kingdom), former federal minister and Secretary General PML-Q Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Dr Shazra Rai Mansab Ali Khan MNA (US, UN-New York), former federal minister Owais Ahmad Leghari (UN-Geneva) and Abdul Rehman Kanju (South Africa).

The sources hinted that some more special envoys could be appointed in a couple of days to cater to other important countries like Abu Dhabi, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, European Union, Germany, Holy See, Iran, Kuwait, Central Asian States, Malaysia, Qatar and Switzerland. The possibility of additional capitals assignment to the existing envoys could also not be ruled out, the sources added.

In the meanwhile, sources said, sharp and angry reaction has been evoked in New Delhi about the diplomatic move of Pakistan’s premier.

The Indian media has been provoked by this historic step and reacting to it negatively termed it meddling in Indian affairs. While reacting angrily, the Indian media termed it “provocation”, “needling” and “meddling” in the country affairs, while reporting the development.

The Indian Express reported with the headline ‘Pak needles India on Kashmir’. “Further needling India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday nominated 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to be dispatched to world capitals to highlight the problem. ‘We will remind the United Nations its long-held promise of self-determination to the Kashmiri people,’ Sharif said. Stepping up Pakistan’s diplomatic offensive, the prime minister said he has decided to send the parliamentarians for highlighting the Kashmir issue in different parts of the world.”

The Times of India in its news report stated; “Even as India continues to ramp up pressure on Islamabad over its incitement of violence and unrest in Kashmir, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday announced that he has tasked 22 parliamentarians with raking up the Kashmir issue in various international forums.”

A visibly frustrated The First Post in its headline ‘Pakistan provokes India’ stated that “the move can be seen as provocation from Pakistan’s side, which has been in a constant tussle with the Indian political leadership over the Kashmir issue recently.”

It pointed that PM Sharif’s comments came as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to apprise him of the security situation in the Valley. After meeting with the PM, Mehbooba slammed Pakistan for provoking youths of the Valley and inciting violence, the paper said.

India TV News in its online site stated: “In his desperation to fish in the troubled waters of Kashmir valley, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today appointed 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to “fight for the Kashmir cause” across the world.”

The Quint began its report with a headline: ‘Sharif ropes 22 Envoys to Expose Human Rights Abuse in Kashmir’, and stated: “By making these appointments, Sharif is attempting to expose the alleged abuse of human rights in the Kashmir valley in the context of the ongoing violence.”

India.com said Sharif wants to highlight the plight of Kashmiris before the international community; “Amidst efforts by the Narendra Modi government to bring some semblance of peace in the Kashmir Valley, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is planning to take the issue to the international level.”

India Today began its story; “In yet another attempt to meddle in India’s internal affairs, Pakistan today nominated 22 parliamentarians to raise the Kashmir dispute in the United Nations in September.”

The special envoys would be given extensive briefing by the Foreign Office here on an emergency basis. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry will be imparting briefing to the envoys, the sources added.