ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan on Wednesday unanimously condemned the world’s human rights organisations and the United Nations (UN) for their “intentional silence over the vicious acts” of New Delhi in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The committee, which met under its chairman Rana Shamim Ahmed Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), through the resolution also condemned the Indian forces for their “brutal activities” in IIOJK and expressed solidarity with the innocent Kashmiris for their unshakable resolve of self-determination, says an official handout issued by the National Assembly Secretariat.

Generally, it has been observed that through such resolutions, which are passed routinely by the committees and both the houses of the parliament, the members usually condemn the Indian forces and instead of condemning the UN and international bodies, they only urge or appeal them to play their role in the implementation of the Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.

During the course of meeting, the Committee held that peace in the sub-continent was subject to settlement of long outstanding Kashmir dispute according to the will of the Kashmiris and Resolutions of the UN.

The committee members were of the view that the brutal activities of the Indian forces could not suppress the Kashmiris from their just demand of self-determination. The members paid tributes to the people of Kashmir for showing unshakable courage and determination over atrocities by the Indian forces.

The committee also condemned the recent terrorist attacks on security personnel in Noshki and Panjgor areas of Balochistan. The members urged the government to bring to justice the culprits at the earliest.

The committee also scrutinised the budgetary proposals relating to the Public Sector Development Programme for the financial year 2022-23 of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and GB. The members decided to visit AJK and GB in order to oversee the onground physical progress of the development projects.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2022