ISLAMABAD: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed on Tuesday urged Foreign Affairs Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to wake from the “deep slumber” and respond to statements made by the Indian government about Gilgit-Baltistan.
Speaking at a presser, he said that the foreign minister is not ready to break the silence over controversial statements by the Indian government about Gilgit-Baltistan which is quite shameful.
He said that the foreign minister who is busy in travelling to European countries at the taxpayers’ money since he has taken over last year must condemn and respond to statements by the Indian government and its foreign affairs ministry.
“Enough of your trips to countries such as Lithuania and now you [foreign minister] must concentrate on your job for which you’ve been handpicked…your mysterious silence on human rights violation in the Indian occupied Kashmir is not acceptable,” he maintained.
He also came down hard at the Foreign Affairs Ministry for not responding to human rights violations in Indian Kashmir in an effective manner, adding “Foreign Office is also silent on the statements given by the Indian government about GB, against which we’re going to write to the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Minister Bilawal”.
He also accused the ruling coalition of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of not making any statement last year on August 5, 2022 – the day when India illegally revoked the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK) – and warned what the incumbent rulers are doing with regard to Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan is not acceptable.
“India is continually violating the UN resolutions on Kashmir and our rulers are not ready to say a single word which is quite unfortunate,” he regretted.
He said that the GB assembly has been left with no option but to pass a resolution against what is being done to the region by those sitting in the centre during the last one year since the ouster of the PTI government.
The chief minister also said that there is no share of GB in the National Finance Commission (NFC) which is again a big injustice to the people of the region.
Meanwhile, speaking at a separate presser, Senator Azam Swati said that all those who made it to the power corridor including the chairman Senate have been badly exposed with what we witnessed in the country during the last one year.
He said that all those behind delaying the elections in Punjab as per apex court’s directives would face Article 6 as the delay in holding elections within the given 90 days is not only a violation of the constitution but also a contempt of court.
He said that the people of the country and the lawyers throughout the country will take to the streets if the elections in Punjab are delayed, adding those who think they can reject the court must get ready to face the wrath of the masses.
He said that the policies of former army chief Gen QamarJavedBajwa are still going on due to which the country is on the brink of complete collapse.
“May the curse of Allah be on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and their handlers for whatever they have done to this country for their own vested interest,” he added.
He called the lawyers community of the country to show solidarity with the court and the constitution, and make sure that Punjab elections will be held on May 14 at all costs.
To a question, he said that by “sitting next to Asif Zardari, Justice QaziFaez Isa lost his dignity”, adding “Faez Isa lost his respect among lawyers and the constitution as he opted to sit next to a “certified thief”, Asif Zardari”.
“Doesn’t he know that Shehbaz Sharif got himself acquitted in billions of rupees’ corruption cases after coming into power and so on and so forth? My message to Justice Isa is that since you’re the son of a great father and the path you have chosen to tread is a wrong path,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023