KP Assembly condemns violence against Rohingya Muslims

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution against the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

The resolution demanded the United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to play a role for their protection. Finance Minister Muzaffar Said presented the resolution signed by Muhammad Ali, Aizazul Mulk Afkari of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Shaukat Yousafzai of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The resolution read, "This august House condemns violence against Rohingya Muslims in [the] strongest words and expresses sympathy and solidarity with the victims. The UN has termed Rohingya Muslims the worst affected community of the world, but did nothing for their help and protection. This Assembly asks the federal government to utilise diplomatic means for convening meetings of the UN Security Council and OIC. More than half millions Rohingya Muslims have been displaced from their homes and 200,000 migrated to Bangladesh under extremely bad conditions, but the world nations are silent over this worst king of human tragedy."

Speaking on the resolution, Shaukat Yousafzai said the federal government and the Foreign Office should condemn the UN and so-called human rights organisations for their criminal silence over the state sponsored massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

He said there should be an affective foreign policy free of all pressures and the federal government should raise voice at international forums for withdrawal of Nobel Prize from Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Where are the so-called human rights defenders who make hue and cry over minor issues? They have now shut their eyes to the genocide of a Muslim minority in Myanmar. It's a humanitarian crisis and the comity of nations should take it seriously," he added.

Dena Naz of PTI also criticised the world community and human rights bodies for their negligence and silence over the brutal killings and displacement on such a large scale. Minister for Information and Public Health Engineering Shah Farman termed the violence against Rohingya Muslims a severe human crisis in the world history.

He couldn't continue his speech as Nighat Orakzai of the Pakistan People's Party pointed out the lack of quorum. The speaker had to adjourn the session. Some opposition members also wanted to speak on the issue but couldn't take part in the discussion due to their walkout from the House. The opposition also supported the resolution.