ISLAMABAD – The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution denouncing the latest Indian attempt of demographic engineering in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The resolution was moved by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that urged India to immediately halt and reverse unilateral and all illegal actions it had taken in IIOJK and fulfill its obligations under the relevant UNSC resolutions.
The House recalled the resolution of 6 August 2019 adopted unanimously by the Parliament of Pakistan and subsequent resolutions rejecting India’s illegal, unilateral, reckless and coercive actions aimed at altering the internationally recognized disputed status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
وزیر خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے قومی اسمبلی میں پالیسی خطاب کرتے ہوئے مقبوضہ کشمیر کے لئے بھارت کے حد بندی کمیشن کو مسترد کردیا@BBhuttoZardari pic.twitter.com/Wy3mXwbHtF
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) May 12, 2022
The resolution categorically rejected the report of the so-called delimitation commission that seeks to convert the Muslim majority of IIOJK into minority and further marginalise, disenfranchise and disempower the Kashmiri population and advance the political and electoral objectives of the BJP.
The resolution noted that through the delimitation exercise, India is making attempts to further its illegal actions of 5th August 2019 and subsequent measures.
The resolution recalled that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute and a long standing item on the agenda of the UN Security Council. It declared that no façade of elections based on sham delimitation exercise can substitute the legitimacy and indispensability of a free and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the UN.
The resolution demanded that India honors and fulfills the obligations under the international law, UNSC resolutions and the fourth Geneva Convention and refrain from bringing about any illegal demographic changes in the occupied territory.
The resolution called upon the international community to ensure accountability of India’s grave and persistent violations of human rights and war crimes in IIOJK.
Taking the floor, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the whole exercise of delimitation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is illegal and in contravention of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
He said that he had also addressed a letter to the President of the UN Security Council and the Secretary General of the UN in which he had highlighted the unlawful steps taken by India to change the demographic structure of IIOJK.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Pakistan will continue to reach out to the world to raise international awareness about Indian illegal steps in IIOJK.
The PPP chairman said his party believes in the much needed electoral reforms before announcing the schedule of next general elections by the coalition government.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar categorically stated that Pakistan cannot engage with a belligerent India.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, she made it clear that there is no change in Pakistan’s policy with regards to India.
Responding to the concerns of members regarding water shortage in the country, Minister for Water Resources Khurshid Shah expressed the confidence that the water situation will improve by 30th of next month. He said the water situation is improving in Tarbela.
Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi told the house during question hour that remittances of twenty-two billion dollars have so far been received. He recalled that the remittances remained twenty-nine billion dollars during the last fiscal year.
The house will now meet tomorrow at 10:30am.
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