KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Monday unanimously condemned India for amending Article 370 of its constitution that granted a special autonomous status to India-held Kashmir.

“This house condemns the act of the Government of India on amending Article 370 of the Indian constitution which grants special autonomous constitutional status to Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” said a resolution moved by members of all parties in the provincial legislature.

“[The house] does recommend to the provincial government [of Sindh] to recommend the views of this assembly to the federal government to oppose this action of the Indian government by urging the international community including the United Nations and Muslim Ummah to take serious note of these nefarious Indian moves in Jammu and Kashmir which is a recognised disputed territory,” it added.

Monday’s sitting was presided over by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani. As the chair announced Question Hour, several members from both sides of the aisle stood and spoke against the Indian government’s aggression in the occupied valley.

In a rare show of unity, the treasury and opposition join hands to denounce India’s atrocities in the held valley

Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla asked the chair to suspend the entire business of the day and allow him to move a resolution condemning Indian atrocities in Kashmir.

He said members sitting on the treasury and opposition benches wanted to move a joint resolution in the house.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said his government condemned the Indian atrocities and aggression in Kashmir. “India has crossed all limits in Kashmir where it has used cluster bombs, and repealed Article 370 after discontinuing the internet.”

He said India had chosen a “very dangerous path”.

“Our chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had already sensed [Indian prime minister] Modi’s designs and called for a joint session of parliament.” He said all members of the opposition and the government were united on Kashmir cause and called for the whole of Pakistan to unite on it.

He said the house wanted the United Nations to take notice of the issue at a time when the whole Kashmiri leadership had been thrown behind bars.

Opposition members of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Grand Democratic Alliance, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal were also among the movers of the resolution.

The resolution said the Indian government’s plot of scrapping the pivotal provision in its constitution was another attempt to suppress Kashmiris.

“This move has been designed to deprive Kashmiris of their rights including their invaluable right to self-determination and bring demographic changes by converting the Muslim majority into a minority,” said the resolution.

“This house further condemns the current Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiri men, women and children which include the use of illegal weapons and the multiple violations of the LoC [Line of Control] and the violation of the international boundaries between India and Pakistan.”

Opposition Leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi said neither Indian judicial system could be applicable on Kashmir, nor amendment in the constitution could end its autonomy.

He said despite lapse of more than 70 years, the people of Kashmir were being deprived of their legitimate right of self-rule and freedom.

Women Development Minister Shehla Raza said it was the second resolution on Kashmir in the Sindh Assembly in which the members had condemned Indian atrocities in the held valley.

Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu said the people of Pakistan were united to support and help the Kashmiris by setting aside all differences.

MQM-P’s Jawed Hanif said by scrapping the special status clause in the constitution, all of India’s population had been authorised to purchase property, have permanent residence and get jobs in Kashmir at the expense of its people. “This is a conspiracy to change Kashmir’s autonomy and demography.”

PPP’s Shamim Mumtaz said that every Pakistani was with the armed forces.

MQM-P’s Ra’na Ansar said it was high time for the people of Pakistan to inform the world about the plight of Kashmiris.

PTI’s Haleem Adil Sheikh said the issue of Kashmir had gained immense prominence after Prime Minister Imran Khan raised his voice for its suppressed masses. “India is playing a dangerous game on a difficult turf with all odds against it.”

GDA’s Nand Kumar said Indian PM Modi wanted to wage a war against Pakistan. “But, he is seriously mistaken if he thinks we would withdraw from Kashmir with his government’s cowardly tactics.”

PPP’s Marui Rashdi said India had made an unsuccessful attempt to make its occupation of the held valley more lethal.

MQM-P’s Mangla Sharma said the Indian prime minister had crossed all limits of atrocities since he had been re-elected.

GDA’s Arif Jatoi said the United States had spoken about mediating between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue, which had not been resolved for the past seven decades.

GDA’s Nusrat Sehar Abbasi said PM Modi was taking revenge on Kashmir after US President Donald Trump offered to mediate.

PPP’s Ghanwer Isran said Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan and was extremely important to the country.

TLP’s Mohammad Qasim criticised the international community for “deliberately ignoring Indian atrocities in Kashmir. We want to tell Modi that we deem jihad as a key way to resolve the Kashmir issue.”

PPP’s Heer Soho said they would support the Kashmiris by all means and by utilising all available resources.

PTI’s Deewan Sachal said the events in Kashmir were continuation of the holocaust with designs more lethal than what Hitler did in World War II.

Sidra Imran said the people of Sindh “today express their solidarity with the people of Kashmir”.

After detailed discussion, Speaker Durrani put the resolution before the house, which passed it unanimously.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2019