MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Thursday condemned India’s state-sponsored terrorism in held Kashmir and called upon the international community and rights organisations to take its stock.

“While there is no let-up in the worst-ever brutalities unleashed by India’s occupation machinery, there is no fall in the determination of the struggling Kashmiris either which in itself is a proof that India cannot prolong its occupation of the held territory,” said the assembly through a unanimously passed resolution.

In all, nine resolutions were separately or jointly tabled by lawmakers for discussion on the situation in India-held Kashmir in the current session.

However, on Wednesday, Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir had formed a committee to prepare a joint comprehensive draft, which was approved by the house on Thursday.

“The situation in held Kashmir is very alarming after an upswing in atrocities by the Indian occupation forces. Video clips being received from across the divide show that India has brazenly crossed all limits of savagery and barbarism,” the assembly said.

“This house pays glowing tributes to the Kashmiris for their unparalleled sacrifices, fearlessness and perseverance and has firm faith that their heroic struggle will bear fruit in a very short time,” it added.

The joint resolution pointed out that the recent statements of former Indian minister P. Chidambaram and pro-India Kashmiri politician Farooq Abdullah were a reflection of the fact that India had lost the battle in Kashmir.

“The whole world has come to know that anti-India feelings of the Kashmiris have metamorphosed into hatred against her since long. The corroborating statements from within India should serve as an eye opener for the Indian government,” the assembly said.

It demanded that the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation instantly constitute fact-finding missions for held Kashmir to assess the situation on the ground.

Global human rights watchdogs should also dispatch their teams to the held territory to carry out the job expected of them the world over, it added.

The house approved another joint resolution appreciating the services of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the country and the Kashmir cause and expressing confidence in his leadership.

In all seven resolutions were tabled by different lawmakers on this subject, but the most comprehensive one was authored by senior minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq.

The combined opposition had made these pro-Sharif resolutions a reason to boycott the proceedings on Wednesday after which they had staged a symbolic sit-in on one of the lawns on the premises of the assembly.

The opposition lawmakers resumed their sit-in on Thursday, during which they occasionally chanted slogans against Mr Sharif and the AJK government.

Their chants intensified after the session was prorogued by the chair sine die and ruling party MLAs, including ministers, came out of the building to move to their offices or elsewhere.

The combined opposition will also address a press conference here on Friday.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2017