The Parliament on Friday strongly condemned the blatant Indian aggression and urged the international community including the UN Security Council to condemn in clear terms the Indian government's highly irresponsible action, escalating tensions to a new level and seriously endangering peace and stability in the region. The two-day special session of joint sitting of the Parliament adopted a unanimous resolution at the conclusion of discussion on the Indian aggression against Pakistan.
The resolution was moved by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in which it also urged the Indian parliament to support the call by this joint session of the Pakistani Parliament for de-escalation and dialogue between Pakistan and India. Taking note of the Indian aggression against Pakistan on 26 and 27 February 2019, the joint session of the Parliament strongly condemned the blatant Indian aggression, which is completely in violation of the United Nations Charter, international law and interstate norms.
It also completely rejected India's self-serving and fictitious claims of having destroyed alleged terrorists facility and causing heavy casualties and pointed out that facts on the ground clearly contradict India's false claims, and have been so testified by independent observers. The Parliament also expressed displeasure over inviting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as the guest of honour to the inaugural session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers being held in UAE, as Pakistan announced boycott of the session in protest.
"[The joint sitting of the Parliament] Notes with deep disapprobation that after India has attacked Pakistan, a founding member of the OIC, India, an egregious aggressor against Pakistan as well as against the Kashmiri people, has been invited as a guest of honour at the forthcoming OIC Foreign Ministers' inaugural meeting, and demands that Pakistan abstains completely under protest from the said meeting," the resolution stated.
However, it welcomes the strong condemnation by the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir of the recent wave of repression and brutal killings of innocent civil Kashmiris by the Indian occupation forces and also welcomes condemnation by the OIC of violation of the Line of Control by the Indian military aircraft on 26 February 2019.
The Parliament lauded the timely and effective action by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) which repulsed the Indian attack without loss of life or property and condemned India's baseless allegations against Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack of 14 February which were politically motivated, and pointed out that the Indian government's subsequent actions have been guided by its electoral calculations.
It recalled the statements by heads of all political parties and the prime minister's statement of 19 February 2019, offering Pakistan's assistance to India in investigations of the Pulwama attack and to take action on actionable intelligence or evidence. It emphasised that India's irresponsible and reckless action of 26 and 27 February seriously imperilled peace and stability in South Asia.
The Parliament also recalled the statement of the National Security Committee (NSC) of 22 February 2019 authorising the Armed Forces of Pakistan to respond to any act of aggression against Pakistan decisively and comprehensively. It further recalled the statement issued after the special session of the NSC on 26 February which made clear that India had committed uncalled for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing.
The Parliament also affirmed that the entire Pakistani nation stands united in support of the Armed Forces of Pakistan and also reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to respond effectively and in a befitting manner to India's aggression, illustrated by the action taken on 27 February 2019 which demonstrated Pakistan's right, will and capability for self-defence.
It also strongly condemned the reprisal attacks on Kashmiris in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and in several states of India, mass arrests of Kashmiris and senior Hurriyat leadership, enhanced repression resulting in martyrdom of more Kashmiri youth, raids on the homes of Hurriyat Leaders, and other repressive measures.
The Parliament also rejected India's attempts to project the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for self-determination as "terrorism" and reiterated that Jammu & Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute, pending on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council due to Indian intransigence. The joint session also underscored that a just and peaceful solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is an unfinished agenda of the partition of India and essential for durable peace and stability in the region.
It also called upon India to put an immediate halt to the continued human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and implement the UNSC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, calling for an impartial plebiscite to determine the future of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Parliament firmly echoes Prime Minister Imran Khan's call on 27th February 2019 to avoid further escalation and urged the Parliament of India to support the call by this joint session of the Pakistani Parliament for de-escalation and dialogue between Pakistan and India.
Earlier, speaking at the joint session, the foreign minister said he will not participate in the OIC meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers, being held in Abu Dhabi where Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has been invited as the guest of honour. He said the decision has been taken keeping in view the sentiments of the House. However, he said a Pakistani delegation of lower level officials will attend the meeting to defend Pakistan's several resolutions on the Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir.
He said Pakistan will also oppose if any attempt was made to give observer status to India. He told that he wrote letters to the UAE leadership to reiterate Pakistan's request to rescind the invitation extended to India. "We also made it clear that Pakistan will not participate if Indian External Affairs Minister attends the meeting," he said, adding that Pakistan and UAE have longstanding relations and the brotherly country has always stood by Pakistan in difficult times.
The point of view of the UAE leadership was that the invitation extended to the Indian External Minister was much before the Pulwama incident, he added. He said Turkey which is also an important member of OIC also termed the invitation to Indian External Affairs Minister as unacceptable and assured their support and role in this regard.
The foreign minister also took the House into confidence on his contacts with different world leaders, saying that the UN security general has made an offer for mediation between the two countries, to which Pakistan has no objection. He also invited the UN chief to visit Pakistan and the region, and witness himself the situation and play his role to defuse the tension. He said his Russian counterpart has also offered to provide a platform and the role of his country for talks between Pakistan and India. "Pakistan is ready for talks to deescalate the situation," he added.
Qureshi also stated that US President Donald Trump has stated that his administration will play its due role to defuse the tension between Pakistan and India. "We welcome his [Trump's] remarks," he added. Referring to the captured Indian pilot, the foreign minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced to release Indian pilot as a peace gesture, adding that the gesture was globally appreciated.
He also strongly condemned the war hysteria created by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Modi is so desperate that he can do anything to get re-elected. He said the opposition parties in India are themselves criticising Modi for using military and the killings of its personnel for political purpose. Earlier, talking to reporters Qureshi appreciated the unified message given by the Parliament and the political partiers in the face of Indian aggression.
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