ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s major opposition parties on Tuesday urged the government to dispatch “multiparty delegations of parliamentarians” to key world capitals as special envoys to highlight human rights abuses in the disputed Kashmir region where a security clampdown and communications blackout was imposed almost two weeks ago.
On August 5, India removed the decades-old autonomy the Muslim-majority territory of Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed under the Indian constitution. The move blocks the territory’s right to frame its own laws, opens the door for residents of all parts to buy property and compete for government jobs and college spots, and has raised fears that the region will be flooded with outsiders.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise move has also increased tensions with arch rival Pakistan which lays claim to Kashmir and has accused India of human rights violations in the territory at the heart of more than 70 years of hostility between the two countries, both of whom have nuclear weapons.
Islamabad has recently been lobbying the United States, European countries and international bodies like the United Nations against India’s unilateral decision to strip Kashmir of its special status. In the past, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the two countries to refrain from any steps that could affect Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
In Aug 2016, the last government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had appointed 22 special envoys who traveled to key capitals to lobby for Indian-held Kashmir after deadly protests broke out over the killing of a popular freedom fighter, Burhan Wani, in a gunfight with Indian security forces.
“The government needs to dispatch special multiparty delegations to world capitals to tell the world about Indian human rights violations in Kashmir,” Taj Haider, senior leader of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, told Arab News.
Referring to a United Nations report this July that accused India of human rights violations in Kashmir and called for the formation of a commission of inquiry into the allegations, Haider too urged the government to push the UN on the inquiry body.
“The US and European countries are very sensitive to human rights abuses, and we need to put the case of Kashmiris effectively at the UN and other international forums,” Haider said.
Last week, the 15-member United Nations Security Council met behind closed doors at the request of China and Pakistan to discuss the Kashmir situation, but did not issue a statement after the United States, France and Germany objected. Such statements are agreed by consensus.
Senator Raja Zafarul Haq of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party said the government should not have celebrated the UNSC’s session on Kashmir as “this was convened on the request of China and prorogued without giving any direction to resolve the decades-old dispute.”
“We cannot plead the case of our Kashmiri brothers effectively on international forums until we forge domestic political unity,” he told Arab News, urging the government to utilize all resources to internationalize the Kashmir dispute with the support of opposition parties.
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi has described her country’s push for last Friday’s Security Council meeting as “the first and not the last step.” She said it was the first time in more than 50 years that the council had taken up the issue.
“The fact that this meeting took place is testimony to the fact that this is an internationally recognized dispute,” Lodhi had told reporters. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir may be locked up ... but their voices were heard today at the United Nations.”
The Security Council adopted several resolutions in 1948 and in the 1950s on the dispute between India and Pakistan over the region, including one which says a plebiscite should be held to determine the future of mostly Muslim Kashmir. Another resolution also calls upon both sides to “refrain from making any statements and from doing or causing to be done or permitting any acts which might aggravate the situation.”
UN peacekeepers have been deployed since 1949 to observe a cease-fire between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.
US President Donald Trump spoke to Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday urging them to reduce tensions over Kashmir. “A tough situation, but good conversations!” Trump said in a Twitter post after the calls.
Pakistani opposition urges government to send Kashmir envoys to lobby in key capitals
Pakistani opposition urges government to send Kashmir envoys to lobby in key capitals
- Last government of Nawaz Sharif appointed 22 parliamentarians as special envoys on Kashmir in August 2016
- Pakistan is already lobbying the US, European countries and multilateral bodies since India revoked Kashmir's special status on Aug 5
Pakistan condemns Netanyahu’s ‘hexagon of alliances’ plan, says alert to growing India-Israel defense ties
- Israel’s Netanyahu last week proposed an alliance of countries in and around Middle East against its adversaries
- Pakistan maintains “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression, says foreign office spokesperson
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Thursday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statement about forming a “hexagon of alliances” within or around the Middle East, saying Islamabad was alert to growing defense ties between New Delhi and Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu on Sunday outlined plans to form a new regional bloc, describing it as a “hexagon of alliances” that he said could include Israel, India, Greece and Cyprus, along with other unnamed Arab, African and Asian states. He said the grouping would collectively stand against what he described as “radical” adversaries.
His comments came days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day trip to bolster ties. The two are expected to discuss cooperation in science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, technology, defense and security during the trip.
The statement drew a sharp response from Pakistan’s Senate, which unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday rejecting Netanyahu’s remarks.
“I would also like to draw your attention to the recent resolution adopted by the Senate of Pakistan that strongly condemned such remarks and attempts to undermine Muslim unity,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters during a weekly press briefing.
“We continue to condemn these provocative steps and statements by the leadership of the occupying power that threaten regional peace and stability,” he added.
Netanyahu had also said Israel’s goal was to create an axis of nations that see eye to eye against what he described as the “radical Shia” and “radical Sunni” axis of nations.
Andrabi said attempts to divide the Muslim world along sectarian lines were a “nefarious design” on Netanyahu’s part.
India is Israel’s largest arms buyer and second-largest trading partner in Asia, after China. In response to a question on India’s growing defense ties with Israel, Andrabi said Pakistan remained cognizant of the risks posed by such cooperation.
“Yes, we remain seized of the defense ties between Israel and India,” the spokesperson said, noting that certain “systems and platforms” may have been used by India against Pakistan in the past.
“We are alive to the threats they pose to our security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to regional peace and stability.”
Andrabi said Pakistan maintained “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression from hostile forces.
‘UTMOST CAUTION EXERCISED’
Andrabi spoke about Pakistan’s recent strikes against alleged militant camps in Afghanistan, saying Islamabad had conducted them in self-defense and with extreme caution to avoid casualties.
Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan against militant camps and hideouts in three provinces on Saturday night, killing over 100 militants. Afghanistan accused Pakistan of violating its territorial sovereignty and killing dozens of civilians. Kabul has vowed to retaliate.
Andrabi said the strikes were carried out to ensure protection for the lives of the people of Pakistan and to prevent “imminent terrorist attacks.”
“These actions were directed solely against identified terrorist camps and hideouts, and utmost caution was exercised to prevent harm to civilians,” he said.
He warned Pakistan would take necessary measures under its right to self-defense against “terrorist threats” emanating from Afghan territory.
On the safety of Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan following the strikes, Andrabi said Islamabad had raised the issue with Afghan authorities, adding that Islamabad expected “foolproof security” for Pakistani diplomats and civilians.
