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Thursday, Feb 08, 2007
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Pakistan lower house condemns `excesses' in J&K

Nirupama Subramanian

Resolution moved for Kashmir Solidarity Day

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly, on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning alleged excesses by Indian forces in Kashmir and renewing its pledge for continued moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmir cause.

The resolution was moved for Kashmir Solidarity Day, which Pakistan observed on February 5.

Here is the text of the resolution:

"It is moved that in observance of 5th February as Kashmir Solidarity Day, the National Assembly of Pakistan:

Re-iterates its unequivocal moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their inalienable right to self determination as pledged to them through UN resolutions.

Emphasises that through peace in the region is a shared aspiration it will not be realised till the Kashmir dispute is recognized as the core issue between Pakistan and India.

Recognizes that the just struggle of the people of Kashmir, which is indigenous, has been sustained for nearly two decades and re-iterates that for a lasting settlement of the disputed territory of Kashmir it must be in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir.

Condemns the unabated infringement of civilian rights and continued violation of human rights in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) and calls for the restoration of fundamental freedoms and an immediate stop to the human tragedy of abuse, violence, death and destruction.

Condemns the heavy military concentration in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and calls for withdrawal of Indian security forces and repeal of Kashmir specific-draconian laws, so that some interim relief is provided to the Kashmiri people.

Resolves this resolution on the legitimate struggle of the people of Kashmir will be transmitted by the Speaker to Inter-Parliamentary Union (EPEE) all parliaments, international human rights bodies and conflict resolution organizations."

At a conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-associated Institute of Strategic Studies, two prominent speakers made the case for negotiations over the use of force for settling the Kashmir issue.

Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the Senate or the upper house of Parliament Mushahid Hussain Sayed said Kashmir was an issue above party politics in Pakistan.

Mr. Sayed said the region could not afford the flaring up of another conflict and that it was time to "give diplomacy a chance".

India had realised that the use of force in Kashmir could not settle the dispute, and the continuing conflict was dragging down India's ambitions on the world stage.

Indian attempts to link Pakistan with the "indigenous struggle" in Kashmir had also "boomeranged", he said, pointing out that after blaming Pakistan for the July 2006 Mumbai bomb blasts, India had no option but to "come back to peace talks."

He said it was a positive sign that "for the first time the authentic voices of the Kashmiris have been recognised as a factor", and that both India and Pakistan were talking to the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

He also pointed out that India "is recognising that human rights excesses are happening" in Kashmir.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan who also spoke at the seminar said Kashmiris "have never accepted the Line of Control as a solution, so there is no chance that they will accept it as a basis for a solution."

Stressing that "negotiations are the best method" to resolve the dispute, he said the changed international environment had created a favourable conditions for negotiations.

Within India too, there was a new consciousness about the urgency to resolve the Kashmir dispute, Mr. Khan said.

He praised the progress being made in the peace process with India, the proposals on Kashmir that President Pervez Musharraf has put forward and India's "positive" response to these ideas.

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