Nawaz, not Imran, to merge IHK into Pakistan: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif has said not [Prime Minister] Imran ‘Niazi’ but PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif will liberate the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).

He was addressing the participants in a rally at the party head office on Sunday in connection with the black day observance against the Indian occupation of Kashmir in the country. While strongly condemning the prime minister, he said Mian Nawaz Sharif and the whole nation would merge Kashmir into Pakistan.

Shahbaz said priceless sacrifices of Kashmiris had brought their struggle to a decisive stage. Though the Narendra Modi government in India had turned Kashmir into a prison, the brave people of Kashmir refused to compromise on their right to self-determination, he told the party workers.

In the last 72 years, Indian occupation of Kashmir had served as an indictment of world conscience, he said and added that in the face of Indian state terrorism, Kashmiris' defiance was legendary and would continue to make humanity proud. “Whole of Pakistan stands united in their diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris,” he vowed.

On Aug 5, Narendra Modi imposed strict restrictions in held Kashmir which are continuing even today, he said and added that Kashmiri children and daughters could not go to schools, and markets and shops had been closed due to curbs in the Valley. With such inhumane treatment meted out to Kashmiris, Modi held a rally in Washington with Trump where he claimed that Trump was with him, Shahbaz regretted. Then Imran Khan went to Washington and said he would withdraw facilities of toilets and air-conditioners in jails, the PML-N leader said.

Former Punjab chief minister hit hard at Imran Khan over what he called failure in effectively highlighting the Kashmir cause. “Imran Khan, you cannot make Kashmir part of Pakistan; only the people of Pakistan, the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif can do it,” he added.

He recalled when the then prime minister Nawaz went to the United Nations, he too spoke about Kashmir. He worked hard for the development of country and brought to Pakistan CPEC and increased power generation, Shahbaz said.

He prayed for Nawaz Sharif's health and urged the whole country to pray for Nawaz’s health. He told the participants that the immune system of ailing Nawaz Sharif was malfunctioning, asking people to pray for him.

Shahbaz said Kashmir would become part of Pakistan like West and East Germany were reunited. It happened without any bullets; the people pulled down the wall themselves, he added.

Discussing Nawaz’s bail, he said the Lahore High Court had granted him bail on medical grounds, while the Islamabad High Court granted him interim bail. On Monday, Maryam Nawaz’s case will be heard by the Lahore High Court, he said, urging people to pray that she gets bail and is able to be with her father.

In a final note, Shahbaz warned Modi to stop atrocities in Kashmir and tell his army chief to stop hurling threats day and night. “If he continues so, our army will teach you a lesson that you will remember for the rest of your life,” he said and added that Modi-led government set the worst example of brutality in occupied Kashmir. Modi had made the lives of citizens in Occupied Kashmir miserable, said Shahbaz. The PML-N president warned Indian PM to stop torturing and killing innocent Kasmiris or else be ready to face the consequences.

Meanwhile, the PML-N president in a special message wished Happy Diwali to the Hindu community in Pakistan and world over.