QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and calling for the federal government to approach the United Nations and Islamic countries to get the Myanmar government to stop the killing of Muslims in the country.

The joint resolution was moved on behalf of all political parties having representation in the house during a session presided over by Speaker Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani.

The resolution also called for deployment of a peacekeeping force in Myanmar.

Shahida Rauf of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) moved an adjournment motion, seeking debate on the killing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. She said persecution of Muslims at the behest of the Myanmar government was against the charter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

She said killing of innocent civilians, rape of women and forcible ouster of thousands of people from their native homes by Myanmar security forces had put a question mark over the role of the United Nations and international human rights organisations.

Minister for Education Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal informed the mover of the adjournment motion that a joint resolution on the issue of Rohingya Muslims was on the agenda of the house; therefore, the motion should be included in the resolution.

Ms Rauf agreed to the suggestion of the minister and did not press for her motion.

The joint resolution strongly condemned barbarian acts of Myanmar security forces against Rohingya Muslims which resulted in killing of hundreds of innocent civilians. It said that it was the responsibility of the United Nations to take notice of massive violations of human rights and discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, colour and cultural differences in Myanmar.

The resolution further said that Islam, international laws and charters of international human rights organisations did not allow discrimination on the basis of religion and ethnicity.

The leader of the opposition in the provincial assembly, Maulana Abdul Wasey of the JUI-F, initiated the debate on the resolution and said that his party fully supported the call for action against the Myanmar government. He criticised the role of human rights organisations in Myanmar and said they should use their influence to stop the killing of innocent Muslims in the country. “Which law has allowed Myanmar security forces to kill innocent civilians?” he asked.

Deputy opposition leader Zamarak Khan Piralizai, Majeed Khan Achakzai, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetiran, Nawab Muhammad Khan Shahwani, Agha Raza, Prince Ahmed Ali, Ghulam Dastagir Badini, Mir Khalid Langove, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal and some other members of the assembly spoke at length on the resolution.

They strongly condemned the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and demanded that the federal government ask the country’s ambassador to leave Pakistan.

They expressed their displeasure over the silence of many Islamic countries on the issue, saying that it was a pity that they had even not taken any notice of the situation of Muslims in Myanmar. They said all Islamic countries should come forward to help Rohingya Muslims.

They also condemned killing of four members of the Shia Hazara community in Kuchlak on Sunday and the kidnapping of Maulana Ali Muhammad Turab. They said the government and security forces had failed to protect the lives of people. They demanded arrest of elements involved in the killing of Hazara people and recovery of the abducted religious leader.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2017