ISLAMABAD: Six members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday submitted an adjournment motion to the National Assembly secretariat seeking a debate on the killing of people and violation of human rights in India-held Kashmir (IHK).

The adjournment motion has been signed by MNAs Shazia Atta Marri, Imran Zafar Laghari, Dr Azra Fazal, Dr Nafisa Shah, Beelam Hasnain and Noman Islam Shaikh.

They have stated that the house should immediately discuss the massacre and bloodbath carried out by Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir which resulted in the death of more than 32 innocent Kashmiris.

“Such blatant use of force in IHK is intolerable and unbearable. It is not only a violation of international laws but also a sheer negation of basic human rights of Kashmiris,” it says.

The members have said that continuous offensive attitude of Indian forces could not deter the people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand for the right to self determination.

“This is a serious issue and requires immediate discussion on the floor of the house so that a concrete strategy may be devised in this regard,” the draft of the adjournment motion said.

Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani has stated that the use of state terrorism by India against innocent and peaceful civilians exercising their democratic right of protest in India-held Kashmir has to be condemned in the strongest terms.

These acts against Kashmiris are a blatant violation of international norms and fundamental rights, particularly the right of life, right of freedom of expression, right of peaceful protest and the right of peaceful assembly. Such blatant violation of internationally recognised rights is deplorable.

Mr Rabbani said that the double standards of the world had once again been exposed as it watched silently the massacre of innocent civilians. It is strange how India’s new strategic partners continue to watch in silence these crude violations of international norms.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2016