Pakistan passes resolution against India's Kashmir move

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan’s parliament on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution to condemn India’s controversial decision to strip the disputed Jammu Kashmir region of its decades-long special status.

The resolution adopted during a joint session of the upper house - the Senate -, and the lower house - the National Assembly - rejects New Delhi’s "illegal, unilateral, reckless and coercive attempt to alter the disputed status of Indian occupied Kashmir as enshrined in the UNSC resolutions", state-run Pakistan Television reported.

Denouncing the deployment of additional troops and “atrocities in Indian occupied Kashmir”, it demands that "India honors its own commitment to the UN Security Council, Kashmiris and the international community".

The resolution opposes “Indian plans to alter the demographic composition of IOK (Indian Occupied Kashmir) , as well as take away protected, inherent and established rights of the people of Jammu Kashmir to citizenship, permanent residence, acquisition of property, employment and education as provided under the repealed Article 35(A) of the Indian Constitution”.

It also decries "other regressive measures" to change Kashmir's demographic structure as well as "the recent surge in unprovoked firing and shelling on unarmed civilian population across the Line of Control and use of cluster bombs by Indian forces in Azad Jammu and Kashmir".

Stressing that “irresponsible” and “aggressive” actions by India posed a grave threat to peace, security and stability in South Asia, the resolution reaffirms and upholds the inalienable right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir as enshrined in the UN Security Council resolutions and as protected by international law.

Calling upon the UNSC to take notice of the matter and the UN Human Rights Council to constitute a Commission of Inquiry, it also urges the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to "convene an extraordinary high level session immediately" and "work with the UN for an end to repression in disputed region.


- China


Addressing the parliamentary session, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he was leaving for China to discuss the situation arisen from the India’s move, especially to take the matter into the UNSC.

“China is a permanent member of the UNSC and our reliable and close friend,” Qureshi said adding that Islamabad would take Beijing - its largest military and economic partner - into confidence over the ongoing developments.

China has already rejected the India’s decision.