Senate adopts unanimous resolution against Indian brutalities in IHK

ISLAMABAD: The Senate adopted a unanimous condemnation resolution on Friday against the illegal annexation of the Held Kashmir (IHK) by India led by Narendra Modi, saying he is pursuing the racist and fascist agenda, inspired by Nazi Germany.

The resolution, moved by Leader of the House Shibli Faraz, says, “The annexation is an attempt by India to change the demography of IHK as part of their racist and fascist agenda.” The House noted that the annexation is an attempt to undermine the UN Charter, international law and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, which have accepted the inalienable right to self-determination of the people of IHK.

The resolution said in pursuance of racist and fascist agenda, which was inspired by Nazi Germany, the regime of Narendra Modi is committing another grave crime against humanity by turning IHK into the world's biggest and most brutal concentration camp with complete lock down and shutting down of all communication links besides, arresting, kidnapping, martyring and raping thousands of innocent Kashmiris. The resolution welcomed the UN Security Council meeting on Kashmir and reaffirmation by the UN Security General of commitment to Security Council's resolutions on Kashmir. It expressed appreciation of the position taken by friends like China and Turkey as well as Iran whose Parliament also passed a resolution in support of the Kashmiri people.

The resolution expressed full solidarity and support to the valiant struggle of the Kashmiri people resisting repression and military might with their spirit and determination. The House urged the government and all other relevant stakeholders to formulate a coherent national strategy on Kashmir. It also expressed appreciation to other parliaments, civil society, media and human rights organisations who supported the just and heroic struggle of the oppressed people of Kashmir.

Earlier, taking part in the debate on Kashmir situation, former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani regretted the silence of Muslim Ummah on the prevailing situation in IHK, saying the bubble of the Muslim Ummah had burst. He proposed Pakistan to quit the OIC in protest. Rabbani recalled Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had said from his death cell that the Himalaya would cry and the grim situation in the IHK and the scenario evolving because of it in the region showed that perhaps the Himalaya is now crying, as for the last 25-26 days, the Kashmiris are being subjected to worst kind of torture, people are being gunned down and women being disgraced.

Rabbani said the threat of ‘majoritarianism’ is working, Babari Masjid was demolished while the Indian courts, the military and the police looked the other way and the same went for the massacre in Gujarat, carried out by Modi. He called for reality check over these hard facts: Kashmir is a fait accompli, like Palestine but the freedom struggle will go on: After the statement of India’s defence minister, on modifying its pledge of No First Use of the nuclear option, it could start an arms race in the region; with a perpetually tense border with India will mean higher levels of defence expenditure, Pakistan has no say or influence in the corridors of international power, today we stand isolated in the world community except for China, Turkey and Iran.

He proposed the Parliament to sensitise all human rights organisations on the curfew and state of human rights in IHK. Parliament needs to sensitise all organisations working for the freedom of information and the rights of journalists on the state of affairs in IHK. It needs to move an emergency motion in the General Assembly of the IPU in October, 2019. The Parliament, he continued, needs to take up the issue of violation of human rights at the regional meeting of the IPU, in Maldives, September, 2019, should try to convene a special meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and also try to convene a special meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Association. The Parliament should develop the theme of, ethnic cleansing, demographic change, genocide, violation of human rights and children being the most affected -- because they want the right to self-determination. This should be documented, he noted. He emphasized Pakistan should refuse to participate in the working and functioning of the OIC and it needed to have a reappraisal of its relationship with the Ummah.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of the PML-N laid emphasis on forging unity and urged for release of what he called political prisoners, including Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir. He advised against mixing religion with Modi’s Hindutva and said Modi was not Vajpayee. He said the Indian PM is the stinking face of Hindutva, bent upon harming Pakistan. Mushahid warned that Modi's decision of annexing IHK is aimed at changing the demography of the territory and added this stupid decision, however, has unified the entire Kashmiri leadership and India is also internally divided on it. The PML-N senator said Kashmir freedom movement is indigenous in nature and it should remain so and the mistakes of the past should not be repeated. “We have to mobilise the international community on the festering dispute, as it is the battle of ideas and we have to engage the media, think tanks and our diaspora to effectively highlight the Indian atrocities in the occupied territory,” he said. He cited a BBC report, which said the Kashmiri youth wanted to be gunned down instead of being subjected to barbarism.

The JUI-F Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan has struck a deal over Kashmir and after that decision, US President Trump invited him and told him to merely raise hue and cry. Usman Khan of the PkMAP said there should be research on whether the government or the opposition had shown seriousness on Kashmir issue, following ‘fascist Modi's Aug 5th action of annexing IHK. He said the biggest symbol of national solidarity is the Parliament, but sadly many of its members are in confinement, as political prisoners. In his reaction, the Leader of the House, Sibili Faraz categorically denied there were any political prisoners.

Mohsin Aziz of the PTI said the people of IHK are valiantly rendering sacrifices to get freedom from the evil clutches of India. Former interior minister A Rehman Malik said Modi is a terrorist and a fascist and his agenda is to hurt Pakistan and Kashmir.