Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'heir of Adolf Hitler' and dismissed as 'absolute non-sense' his statements regarding Kashmir, and reiterated to highlight the atrocities of Indian forces in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) in the upcoming session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
"Non-sense, absolute non sense - when Modi says 'who should we talk to in Pakistan, military or government' that sounds so absurd and ridiculous," the foreign minister said while speaking at the Senate session presided over by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani.
"Modi probably doesn't know and he should know better, it was Pakistan's civilian and military leadership that came together from the forum of National Security Committee (NSC) earlier this month to give a strong response to India's highhandedness in the IOK and to strongly put weight behind the Kashmiris."
Qureshi confirmed that he would participate in the upcoming session of UNHRC in Geneva, Switzerland, starting on September 9. In addition, he said, "Floods of people' from different nations and countries would join a mammoth public gathering and rally from Hyde Park to Indian High Commission in London, the United Kingdom, in an expression of solidarity with Kashmir. India and its extremist rulers would be unnerved seeing people from different nationalities in big numbers showing up for Kashmir on a foreign soil."
Unlike the Pulwama attack episode which saw war mongering and frenzy in Indian media, public and political circles against Pakistan, there are serious divisions in India regarding Indian government's atrocious measures taken in the IOK and repeal of Articles 370 and 35A by the Indian parliament on August 5, the foreign minister said. "If, for a second, we believe the lies of Modi and say all is well in IOK, why were then the leaders of 10 political parties of India not allowed to visit Srinagar and returned from the Srinagar airport? Why are they taking these kinds of coercive measures if there's nothing to hide? The truth is that there is everything to hide because the people of the occupied State of Jammu and Kashmir have been held hostage with the imposition of round-the-clock curfew for more than three weeks and India's extremist government does not want the world to show its ugly face," said Qureshi.
Kashmir is a dispute between three parties; Pakistan, India and Kashmiris, he said. "Out of these three parties, two have categorically rejected Indian parliament's action of August 5."
Hurling a warning shot at India, Qureshi said, "You listen to with an attentive ear, we won't give in to your highhandedness and would not budge back from our principled and just stance on Kashmir."
As part of diplomatic outreach, Prime Minister Imran Khan has spoken to the President of the United States, PM of the UK, crown princes of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates as well as other world leaders to apprise them of situation in IOK. "I have also reached out to several diplomatic dignitaries. The world opinion is turning in favour of Kashmir issue. But it would take some time. The world took some time to realise that the situation in Bosnia was very serious. Russia, that was traditionally close to India is also being sensitised about the seriousness of Kashmir issue," Qureshi said and hoped that Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) would come out in open support for the resolution of Kashmir issue in future.
On diplomatic front, he termed United Nations Security Council's (UNSC's) consultative meeting on Kashmir as a landmark achievement for Pakistan. "We wrote to the UN and were able to have a UNSC consultative meeting organised within the next 72 hours. This was first UNSC meeting on Kashmir since 1965, after 54 years. This is just the beginning. The nation would see more of our successes and defeats of India at the international forums in the times to come."
The foreign minister thanked the political parties for acting in unison on Kashmir issue and hinted that the services of some senior leaders from opposition "who have a political stature and clear understanding of Kashmir issue, can be utilised by the government."
Senators from different political parties including Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP's) Parliamentary Leader Sherry Rehman, Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM's) Parliamentary Leader Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq, Sitara Ayaz from Awami National Party (ANP) and others shared views in support of Kashmir.
"Making emotional statements in favour of Kashmir and this cribbing and crying won't work. We have passed so many resolutions for Kashmir since 1948. It's time to act. Actions speak louder than words. Unless the blood of Indian army soldiers spills on the streets of Srinagar, the fate of Kashmir would not change," Barrister Saif said.
"I don't mean to imply that we should sponsor insurgency in Kashmir. There is an indigenous movement going on in Kashmir. We don't have to run any movement there from here. But Kashmiris are totally helpless and armless against the heavily armed Indian forces. At least they should be supported," he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate passed a separate resolution which reads, "Acknowledging the initiative taken by the Honourable Chairman Senate of Pakistan, the House hereby resolves to establish an International Parliamentarians' Congress (IPC), as conceived by the Chairman Senate to be a worldwide network of individual Members of Parliaments across countries, who voluntarily intend to work in unison to perpetually develop cooperation, synergy, and strategies across parliaments to strengthen democracy, and achieve a prosperous and peaceful world through effective independent interaction among parliamentarians. The Headquarter of IPC shall be in Islamabad for which building and other allied amenities and taxes/duties exemptions on the logistical measures needed for the establishment of the Congress be provided.
"The House authorises the Honourable Chairman Senate to take all necessary measures for establishing and making the IPC a unique platform to bring together parliamentarians from around the world not just as regional or national representatives, but more so as global parliamentarians and representatives of the whole humanity."
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