ISLAMABAD: The joint session of the parliament is underway where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressed those in attendance.
The prime minister in his address said that Burhan Wani’s martyrdom brought Kashmir to turning point, adding that the valley is bubbling up like a volcano.
He demanded that Indian atrocities and violation of human rights should be ended in Kashmir. PM Nawaz also asked for putting an end to the ongoing curfew in the Occupied territory.
The prime minister said that steps should be taken for withdrawal of Indian troops from IoK and political prisoners should be released.
Pakistan is against war and wants durable peace in the region, said the prime minister.
He said that Pakistan wants to resolves all issues through negotiations, adding that the entire nation is united for the country’s defense.
“Our desire for peace should be taken as a sovereign nation’s wish,” said the premier.
PM Sharif without naming Narendra Modi referred to his earlier statements, saying those who talk of ending poverty “should know that this competition is not possible with fire and blood”.
“They can target through pellets eyes of unarmed people, but cannot blind the entire history and humanity,” PM said hitting out at India.
‘No compromise on Kashmir’
Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah while commending the government for calling the joint session on opposition’s demand said that no compromise could be made on Kashmir.
Speaking at the floor of the House, he said the government should have continuously pressed the world for the resolution of Kashmir dispute, adding that the resolution adopted in the past were not implemented.
“A number of international issues have been resolved, why not the Kashmir dispute,” Shah questioned, noting the Pakistan and India have gone to fight wars over the disputed territory.
He said the neighboring arch-rival was not only waging attacks at the border, but was also striving to alienate Pakistan diplomatically.
Kashmir issue not presented adequately: Fazl
Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said we failed to present the Kashmir issue adequately. He said India was constantly trying to avoid talks on the longstanding dispute, while its forces are continuing to massacre innocent Kashmiri people.
Speaking about continued Indian aggression, he said Pakistan would be bound to use its nukes if it came to its survival, hoping that the tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors would not escalate to that level.
We don’t play politics on Kashmir: Bilawal
In an apparent hit at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, “We do not play politics on Kashmir policy”.
“Some of our friends did not do the right thing by boycotting the session,” he added.
The PPP chairman said the prime minister had summoned an all parties meeting (APC) on Kashmir on the demand of Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah. “The premier was also given some suggestions at the meeting.”
“The prime minister was told that we all want national unity on Kashmir,” said Bilawal, adding that the enemy has his eyes on our weaknesses.
Besides the reinstatement of the National Security Committee, the PPP chairman advised the PM to appoint a permanent foreign minister, who could effectively run foreign and diplomatic affairs.
The session is aimed at expressing resolve to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the country at all costs.
The session was summoned to discuss unprovoked aggression of Indian security forces across the Line of Control (LoC) and deteriorating situation in Occupied Kashmir.
Earlier, PTI announced that it would boycott Wednesday’s joint parliamentary session on the Kashmir issue, with party chairman Imran Khan saying his party would no longer endorse this parliament.
“We fully back Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and sent Shah Mehmood Qureshi to yesterday’s meeting of the parliamentary parties’ heads,” said Imran, questioning what else was left there for discussion in the joint session of the parliament.
He said that Nawaz Sharif had lost the moral authority to stay as the prime minister and that Tehreek-i-Insaf would no longer endorse this parliament.
However, this move from the opposition party met with severe criticism from political circles.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira criticised Imran Khan for spoiling government’s efforts for a unanimous stance on Kashmir.
“Until yesterday, Nawaz Sharif had the legality of a prime minister, but today he lost the moral authority according to the PTI chairman,” he questioned, adding that this makes no sense.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said the joint session of parliament has been summoned to demonstrate solidarity with the Kashmiri people suffering atrocities at the hands of the Indian forces.
The Information Minister said that PTI chief’s attitude suggests that he is unable to understand the importance of the national issues, and he always preferred personal interests.
“Instead of representing the nation on the important national issue at the highest democratic importance, the PTI chief is engaged in hatching conspiracies”, he added.
Pervaiz Rashid further said Imran Khan should keep the political differences aside from the Kashmir cause.
