PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan Thursday told a seminar that the hegemonic policies of Narendra Modi government and the worst human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir had exposed the real face of so-called secular India.
She was addressing a seminar, organised by the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) to observe India’s independence day as ‘black day’ and express solidarity with the people of held Kashmir.
Dr Firdous said the inhuman treatment being meted to the besieged Kashmiris by the Indian army had made the elements repent who had opposed the Two-Nation Theory and backed a united India at the time of creation of Pakistan.
She said scrapping of Article 370 of Indian constitution had exposed nefarious designs of Narendra Modi against Kashmiris.
Modi government’s unlawful decisions regarding the Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) had proved that there was no room for minorities in India, she added.
Dr Firdous said Indian prime minister seemed to be living in a fool’s paradise as Pakistan was fully capable to defend its territorial boundaries and sovereignty against any misadventure by him. She said the entire Pakistani nation stood behind the valiant security forces and was ready to fight shoulder to shoulder with them in case a war was imposed on the country.
She said Pakistanis were a resilient nation, who fought their enemy with strong faith in Allah Almighty and did not rely on the strength of weapons.
Dr Firdous said holding of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting after five decades on the Kashmir issue was a diplomatic victory of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, for which credit went to Prime Minister Imran Khan. Russia had also supported Pakistan’s stance as the civilised world was now taking notice of Modi’s illegal and unilateral steps to change the special autonomous status of the IOK, she added.
She said the forthcoming UNSC meeting on the Kashmir issue was actually India’s defeat, negating its longstanding claim of Kashmir an internal matter.
She said Pakistan could not remain silent on the grave Indian atrocities against the IOK people and human rights violations, and would continue its moral, political and diplomatic support to them till achievement of their right to self-determination, as promised by the United Nations. She said the media was the first line of defence and its role in national integration and exposing the human rights abuses in IOK was of paramount importance.
The independent media was not allowed to enter the IOK, which was a clear violation of freedom of speech and expression, besides a big stigma on the face of so-called secular India, she added.
The special assistant said observance of India’s independence day as ‘black day’ was aimed at expressing solidarity with the people of held valley.
Pakistan would go to the last extent for the Kashmir cause and its armed forces were fully alert to thwart any nefarious designs of the enemy, she added. She said protest processions were taken out from every nook and cranny of Pakistan to condemn India’s unlawful actions and express solidarity with the innocent people of IOK. Dr Firdous said Prime Minister Imran Khan effectively presented the Kashmir case at all international forums and won the hearts and minds of oppressed Kashmiris with his historic speech at the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on August 14.
She said Imran Khan was taking the mission of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah forward by strengthening national institutions, establishing a corruption-free society, maintaining rule of law, equality and supremacy of merit. That was why those who had opposed the Quaid had gathered against the prime minister today, she added. Dr Firdous said she saluted the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for eliminating hereditary politics in the province and reposing full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan twice.
She appreciated the Peshawar Press Club management for organising the seminar and becoming a torch-bearer in the media industry to promote the just cause of Kashmir.
She invited the PPC president and his cabinet members to Islamabad for discussing the matters pertaining to the press club building and resolution of other problems, being faced by the journalist community of Peshawar. Later, PPC President Syed Bukhar Shah presented a traditional Chador to the special assistant.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Shaukat Yousafzai, Advisor to KP Chief Minister on Merged Districts Ajmal Wazir, Kashmiri leadership, politicians, civil society representatives, human rights activists, journalists and lawyers attended the seminar.
