NA condemns India’s statement claiming J&K as its integral part

Says war hysteria by India not in interest of regional peace, stability Khursheed calls for joint session to discuss Kashmir

The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning India’s claim in the United Nations General Assembly that Jammu and Kashmir is its “integral part”.

The resolution moved by Naveed Qamar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had, in her speech, ignored the facts that Jammu and Kashmir was still on the agenda of UNSC and Indian-held Kashmir was universally accepted as a “disputed territory”.

The resolution stated the Modi government had a history of threats with the misguided belief that Pakistan would move away from its support to innocent Kashmiris being butchered by Indian forces.

“The House believes that peace and progress is dependent upon good neighbourly relations and the only way forward is constructive dialogue and not the current threats being issued by Indian Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to unilaterally terminate the Indus Water Treaty,” it added. The resolution further said the hostile environment being perpetuated by the present Indian government and war hysteria being created by it would not be in the best interest of peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Khursheed Shah, speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, demanded for summoning a joint session of both the houses of parliament on Monday for discussion on Kashmir issue and prevailing tension with India.

Shah said the Kashmir issue had assumed paramount importance in the wake of increasing Indian hostilities in occupied Kashmir and belligerent statements being given by the Indian leadership. A joint session of parliament should therefore be convened to hold a thorough debate on the issue, he added.

He said all parties were united over the Kashmir issue as it was not the issue of any party, but of entire Pakistan.

When Law Minister Zahid Hamid remarked that a joint session had already been summoned on FATA and the House could discuss the Kashmir issue after that, Shah said this issue was an important one therefore it should be discussed first. PTI’s Shireen Mazari, while criticising the government on the Kashmir issue, said silence on the part of ministers on vital issues and their non-serious attitude was not tolerable.